If You Love ‘Magic Mike XXL,’ This New Amazon Show Is For You
Do you remember the vibes of Magic Mike XXL? It’s a movie all about sexy guys hanging out, supporting each other, and entertaining women. Amazon Prime’s French series Escort Boys matches that feeling, all the while trying to save a beloved family bee farm.
Most of Amazon Prime Video’s starring men skew towards the hard-hitting action type of show. At the end of December, Prime quietly released Escort Boys in the United States and it differs vastly from the usual programming. Directed by Ruben Alves, the series is an updated and re-imaged French version of the Israeli show Johnny and the Knights of Galilee (2015).
Meet the new boys in town
Escort Boys opens with the death of Ben’s (Guillaume Labbé) father. He returns home to the family farm to take over the business and look after his 17-year-old sister, Charly (Marysole Fertard). Unfortunately, the only working part of the farm is the honeybees, so the property is being foreclosed on. Plus, the government must monitor Ben to ensure he’s capable of taking care of his sister.
Ben’s best friends, Ludo (Thibaut Evrard), Mathias (Simon Ehrlacher), and Zak (Corentin Fila), also are floundering in life. After accidentally discovering how lucrative the escort business is, Ben figures the only way to save the farm is to become an escort. His friends, logically, join him. Thankfully, Charly whips them into shape and coordinates their jobs. There’s even a training montage with cowboy hats.
The series may focus a lot on sex and features some intimate scenes, but there is more to Escort Boys than that. The friendship between the boys unexpectedly drives the show. They take their time to discuss feelings while encouraging each other. Ludo thinks his “dad bod” won’t be a selling point to clients. Instead of making fun of him or encouraging him to lose weight, the guys assure Ludo that his body is niche and in demand to boost his confidence. A few scenes find them exchanging tips on how to seduce a woman and appreciate them before even stepping foot in the bedroom. These guys are here to support their bros and women.
It takes place in modern Southern France, in a world that is post-COVID-19 pandemic and #MeToo. Both things figure heavily in how the characters prioritize things and interact with each other. Characters discuss differences between generations and genders with open frankness. But even if topics get a little heavy, they recover quickly with humor or sexy times.
As of now, there is only one season with six 30-minute episodes. But hopefully, this isn’t the last we see of the boys. Escort Boys is only available on streaming through Amazon Prime Video with English dubbing and subtitles.
(featured image: Amazon Prime Video)
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