‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace’ episode 2 recap: Death’s a beach

Warning: This recap of the “Manhunt” episode of The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story contains spoilers.

From the beginning we’ve known that Andrew Cunanan fancied himself a man of finer tastes. Even while on the run for a murder spree, he still took the time to purchase just the right Wayfarer knock-offs or order a surf ‘n’ turf meal from a wealthy john. Did Cunanan wear just any old bathing suit? Nope, it was magenta Speedo all the way. And when it came to rat-infested, crumbling junkie motels, you better believe Cunanan asked for an ocean view. Yes, even the lowest of human existences can leave room for glamour.

“Manhunt” continued last week’s premiere with even more backstory of where both Versace and Cunanan had been in their respective lives before the titular assassination. And like last week, it took what everyone knew about the case (from sensationalized tabloid coverage mostly) and filled in the gaps with new facts, genuine insight, and arresting beauty. Let’s talk about it!

We began with an unrecognizable, anonymous man in disguise.

Underneath this ingenious, identity-concealing ensemble was none other than famous fashion designer Gianni Versace. But this costumed ruse would be for neither heist nor romp. No, he was at a clinic receiving bad news about a blood test he’d recently taken. And while this episode was careful to keep things vague, this scene, added to a later scene in which he could barely walk unassisted, was meant to suggest that Versace’s life had once been threatened long before Andrew Cunanan ever pointed a gun at him. You can probably guess what the illness was. But as a reminder, the ’90s were an especially bad time for a specific group of people.

Versace’s diagnosis played heavily into this episode’s central concept. That he’d been able to fight off his illness using state-of-the-art medicines, he’d slapped the grim reaper across its tacky face, and he’d begun to embrace life as only a formerly dead man walking could. Which, as Donatella Versace noted, made his later murder all the more devastating.

But death comes for us all, even those who can afford to have their facial bullet wounds spackled over and their cremains laid to rest so fabulously.

Even when reduced to several ounces of ash, Versace still flew first class. Honestly touching.

We then cut over to Andrew Cunanan, who was currently speeding on the freeway scream-singing “Gloria.” Which, we’ve all done that, and in my case nearly every day. “Gloria” is one of the greatest songs of all time. As we quickly discovered, Cunanan was only just arriving in Miami, so this act of free-wheelin’ joy came after he’d murdered his first four victims. Yep, he was now murder-jazzed, and it was time to spread his brand of awful in a beach community!

Cunanan showed up at the dingiest motel with the most beautiful oceanfront view in Miami. It was clearly a faded stucco hell pit of junkies and, well, other serial killers I’m guessing. Between the presence of a junkie Max Greenfield and a duct-tape gimp mask, this was like if American Horror Story: Hotel had been crossed with Miami Vice. Into it.

Meanwhile the FBI had arrived in town around the same time, but this local Miami detective lady quickly realized they were terrible at their jobs and had not tried particularly hard to catch this gay spree-killer yet. They hadn’t even made any copies of his “Wanted” poster! And as we’d learn later, citizens were ready and willing to report a Cunanan sighting, which made it all the more frustrating that the FBI had been so slow to spread the word. (Thank God for America’s Most Wanted.)

As you can imagine, Andrew Cunanan made fast friends with junkie Max Greenfield, and after a heartfelt scene in which Greenfield’s character talked about his HIV diagnosis, the two schemed openly about how to make quick cash and/or buy some junk to smoke. An enterprising liar and conman, it was almost charming that Cunanan still resorted to turning tricks sometimes. I guess that was easier than, like, check fraud or whatever.

So, sex work for local lonely hearts was now on the menu! Congratulations, Miami fellas!

Except, whoops … there was the pesky fact that Andrew Cunanan was a total psychopath. Which meant that this john’s simple request to be dominated led him to finding himself suffocating under a face full of duct tape and terrorized within an inch of his life while Andrew Cunanan danced around the room in a pink Speedo.

Yeah this was one of the most disturbing scenes I’ve seen in a Ryan Murphy joint, but the terror was effective. The disturbing vibe continued even afterward, as the terrified john sat watching Cunanan finish a lobster meal, waited until Cunanan left, and then debated whether to call 911 and report the assault. Alas, the wedding ring he placed back on his finger suggested why the crime ultimately went unreported. Again: The ’90s really sucked.

But enough darkness, it was time to remember what made Versace famous! In this scene, Donatella urged Versace to change things up and compete with his more goth-inspired competitors Galliano and McQueen, but Versace made clear that he was in the business of joy and beauty and life, especially now that he had his health back. Donatalla couldn’t help but see his point.

And credit to this show for not only producing a convincing fashion show (with convincingly Versace-ish looks) but also even casting a runway model who resembled Shalom Harlow to play Shalom Harlow! Miss her. Come back, Shalom.

As though we needed more evidence that Andrew Cunanan was unhinged, we got this cute scene where he smoked tons of drugs, then went to the bathroom for some quiet time. In this case quiet time involved wrapping his head and face in duct tape and also admiring the intensely insane serial killer wall he’d created in the bathroom:

Yeah, I think we’d recalled Cunanan as being an out-of-control party boy or whatever, but this series has done a lot to prove he was insane in a scary and singular way. Just a bad-time-guy lookin’ for trouble.

We also got glimpses into the romantic life shared by Versace and his lover, Ricky Martin (as himself, jk). And though their lifestyle of hooking up with men together and going to the clubs was nothing they were ashamed of in their private life, we could sense that the straight world would never understand their situation. Versace himself doubted that his partner truly loved him enough to want to be married (which … gay marriage? What a futuristic concept in 1997!), yet they still were clearly everything to each other. It would be romantic if we didn’t know where this was all heading.

We then got another classic Cathy Moriarty appearance, in which we saw the incident when Cunanan sold a stolen coin to her at her pawn shop and she remembered it enough to contact the police after the shooting. And again, she’d even glanced at her collection of “Wanted” posters before making the sale, underscoring again that the authorities’ slow-to-act tendencies toward gay crime had almost directly led to Versace’s murder. But at least we can all continue to count on Cathy Moriarty when we need her!

I loved this brief scene when a drag impersonator of Donatella showed up at Versace’s manor and demanded to come in and hang out. He was polite enough about it, noting that one Donatella in his life was enough, but still. She DID look fun to hang out with. I probably would’ve let her up.

That night, Versace and his lover went out to the local dance club Twist, and Andrew Cunanan followed them there, presumably to shoot him right there in the club. But Versace ended up ducking out before the encounter happened but not before his lover informed him that even at night, even amid opportunities to be around other men … he still chose Versace and wanted to marry him. Again, except for the line of strangers behind them and the bad ’90s techno wafting in the air, this was an incredibly touching and romantic moment. These two.

Inside, a clearly dejected Cunanan was approached by a random hottie, and he responded by having a borderline meltdown in which he listed all the different fake occupations he’d ever pretended to be. Including, of course, serial killer. But while the random hottie had no reason to think Cunanan was being serious about any of them, it was a chilling notion that someone who had spent a lifetime lying about his accomplishments was now going to try to make a name for himself in a more tragic and gruesome way. Ugh, he was the worst.

“Manhunt” functioned best as a continuation of last week’s introduction to the story and setting. And like last week, it relied on visuals and physical performance more than written dialogue, and was just as spellbinding. Tense, funny, emotional, and troubling all at once, this is a fascinating world to explore and I can’t get enough. Obviously it’s a dark story and doesn’t promise to get any lighter by the end of it, but I can’t help myself. That this is even on the air (and executed so perfectly) is enough to give someone a new lease on life. How very Versace.

‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace’ episode 2 recap: Death’s a beach

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ACS S2E2 – “Manhunt”

The People are … liking ACS: Versace. Andrew Cunanan has captured our …hearts? From his creepy charm to his American Psycho tendencies, this extra-extra performance is bringing out the “Darren Criss fan” in all of us. Join Natalie and Maren as they read your comments on the episode, and get into the ongoing Versace/HIV debacle, sub sandwich heroes, and “the other sister.” (Not the 1999 Juliette Lewis movie)

American Crime Story Takes Donatella Versace From Caricature to Character | 25 January 2018

American Crime Story Takes Donatella Versace From Caricature to Character

The Versace brand, which represents the Versace family, has said it disapproves of FX’s The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story. “Lurid”, the family called it in one of two statements, “distorted” and “bogus.” This is not because they hated the silks, or because Donatella’s Jack Russell terrier Audrey found the color palettes unsuitable for her Instagram. No one from the uber-private Versace family has said this explicitly, but accusations that Ryan Murphy’s crime story is “reprehensible” are likely because the series reflects the reporting in Maureen Orth’s book Vulgar Favors: Andrew Cunanan, Gianni Versace and the Largest Failed Manhunt in U. S. History. The book, which is the basis for the series, asserts that Versace routinely had sex with escorts (with and without his partner Antonio (played by Ricky Martin) and that he was HIV positive when Andrew Cunanan murdered him in 1997. Although today, twenty years after the designer’s death, stigmas and taboos around HIV and even sex work have loosened, the family’s denials are understandable.

Gianni, Donatella and their brother Santo were a tight-knit unit that meticulously curated an image of luxurious, carefree glamour. They grew up in Southern Italy, with old-world Catholic values practically running through their veins. Although Orth’s book, which FX’s Versace uses as gospel, is exhaustively researched (and presumably lawsuit-proof), the Versaces contend that it’s gossip and lies. And while Donatella has said she hasn’t seen the series and has no plans to, she might be throwing the proverbial baby out with the bathwater because of all the ways Donatella has been portrayed in pop culture, FX’s is the most flattering, and the most important.

Penelope Cruz’s real-life friendship with Donatella certainly informs the grace and seriousness she gives the woman she’s portraying; Cruz has said she asked for Donatella’s permission in an hour long call before accepting the role. She told Vogue, “I didn’t want to do an imitation of Donatella, or a caricature. I wanted to try to capture the essence of who she is.” Cruz grounds her with the most sensible, and perhaps even gracious accent ever afforded her. That accent is hard to get right as proven by Gina Gershon, who sounded like a giddy Zsa Zza Gabor in Lifetime’s absurd House of Versace. (In fairness, she pushed for subtitles, she told Popsugar so maybe it would’ve been better?) Everyone who’s heard Donatella’s enchanting English knows it’s a husky, at times congested and slushy soup of sounds harsh (strength becomes “strenf”) and sweet; sometimes producers actually do provide subtitles so listeners can understand. Cruz told Vogue she worked with a dialogue coach to perfect Donatella’s speech — different now than it was in the 90s. The end result is an elegant purr that blends Cruz’s native Spanish, Italian and English; most importantly, she nails Donatella’s staccato speaking rhythm. But Cruz’s careful consideration of Donatella isn’t the only thing changing perceptions of the fashion mogul; FX’s story reveals about Donatella challenges everything America thought they knew.

Most people know Donatella Versace as a caricature, a shorthand for the ludicrous, Zoolander-like excesses associated with the fashion industry. After her brother’s death in 1997, Donatella became something of a pop star. In the 00s, as cable TV, Internet culture, red-carpet culture and celebrity culture congealed into the always-on loop that exists today, Donatella rose to the level of iconography. Her extreme Euro tan, platinum tresses, skin-tight dresses as well as paparazzi shots next to mega stars like J. Lo made it so that even people who don’t follow fashion could recognize her. And then there were Maya Rudolph’s SNL parodies — which depicted Donatella perennially holding a champagne flute, smoking a cigarette and screaming “Get out!” at lesser-thans — that made Donatella a household name.

It didn’t matter that Donatella Versace was actually the brains and muscle behind a global empire that employed thousands of people: Donatella herself loved the attention. (Self-deprecating and astute to the currency conversation creates, she went on HLN, of all places, to express her admiration for the lampooning and did the bit with Maya on Vh1’s Fashion Awards.) It’s true that the exaggerations weren’t entirely off base — Donatella used to have her Marlboro Reds wrapped in packets bearing her initials, because she didn’t like the warning label, and keep them in a bejeweled Versace case — but as is the case with parody, complexities got lost. The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story presents her with real depth, the way people who really know her say she is is: a strong-willed woman who thrived after being thrust into steering a $800 million ship in the midst of impossible grief. The depiction may not be entirely flattering (she’s never denied giving Gianni’s partner the cold shoulder, as she does in the series) but in Versace, Donatella earns overdue public respect, not laughs.

“We wanted to show Donatella I think in a serious light,” Ryan Murphy told TV Guide at the Television Critics Association winter press tour in January. “Like what Sarah [Paulson] did with Marcia [Clark in The People vs. O.J. Simpson] I think what we did with Penelope was show her with heart. In many ways it’s a tribute to Donatella.”

Of course, no Donatella works without glamour, and the first glimpses of her in the first episode practically drip with allure. Donatella descends from a private jet, jaw-droppingly chic in all black, before getting into a black limo and doing all the stereotypical things post-Maya Rudolph audiences expect: put on black sunglasses, make note of her hair, and scurry away from photographers blinding her with flash bulbs. (One critique of these first scenes from Cathy Horn, a legendary fashion critic who spent time with Gianni and Donatella, notes that Donatella would’ve been more likely to use a back door but, whatever.) Though Penelope’s Donatella captures her exterior fabulousness, it eschews Donatella’s famed trivial pursuits — her love of celebrity, big jewelry and yes, cocaine — in favor of showing someone grounded and tough. Nobody would know from her public perception that Donatella had been running the company for as much as a year and a half before Gianni’s death, so Versace’s scenes of her making executive decisions on behalf of the company swing a new set of empathies in her favor.

Donatella’s achievements are astonishingly rare; despite being fashion’s primary consumers, women made up only 14 percent of the leadership teams for 50 major fashion brands — and that was in 2016, Business of Fashion says. Two decades before that, Donatella had the vision to shape the direction of her family’s brand and the resolve to make men follow her lead. “I had to show strength. I had to show, ‘We’re going to do it,’” she told the New York Times in 2015. Seeing Donatella, calmly and strategically charting a steady course for their empire minutes after her brother had been murdered changes the narrative about her significantly. She wasn’t just a muse, a glorified freeloader, a party girl with a budget and nothing to do — nor was she too emotional to function at a time of unimaginable sadness. She rose to the moment, becoming chief designer and creative director right after Gianni died. While the brand later hit some turbulence (it was rescued from the brink of bankruptcy through investments and structural changes) she remains its head — and was responsible for guiding it through some of its best years. As it turned out, the image of the Versace woman she’d been selling — bold, confident and assured — was a reflection, not fanciful fashion fantasy.

“What she went through was insane,” Murphy said. He said he loved the scene in which she tells her brother Santo she won’t take the company public, surrounded by male bankers. “She did not give in to patriarchal pressure. That’s rough now. In 1997 — can you imagine? She had no time to grieve. She had no experience running something that big and she still kept it together.”

“Tell Morgan Stanley we will not list on the exchange. We will remain a private family company,” Cruz’s Donatella says in the first episode. The savvy she displays under pressure cuts closer to the keen and sometimes combustible real life Donatella than any other pop culture reimagining, and leaves a lasting impression as the series progresses. The real Donatella has no plans to see it, but if she ever does, she might be pleasantly surprised. “It’s important to me when she sees what I’ve done,” Cruz told Ellen Degeneres, “she can feel the love and respect that I have put there [and] how I feel for her.” It’s an image makeover sure to last all seasons.

American Crime Story Takes Donatella Versace From Caricature to Character

‘The Assassination Of Gianni Versace’ exemplifies power and panache – Daily Times

The anticipated anthology series ‘American Crime Story’ returned last week with an exquisite season and revamped cast.

Titled ‘The Assassination Of Gianni Versace’, the drama is based on the murder of Italian fashion mogul Gianni Versace. I watched the season 2 premiere with high hopes and had mixed feelings about it by the end of the episode.

The story revolves around the life of Gianni Versace, his fame as an acclaimed designer and inevitable death; starring Édgar Ramírez in the titular role as Gianni, Penélope Cruz as Donatella Versace, Darren Criss as the infamous Andrew Cunanan and Ricky Martin as Gianni’s love interest Antonio D’Amico.

The star-studded cast exemplifies power and panache at its best. The show is inspired by true events and uncovers the story leading to Gianni’s murder. Serial killer Andrew Cunanan was responsible for the uncalled assassination of Gianni in the summer of 1997 at his glorious beach house in Miami, Florida.

The pilot starts off with Gianni mulling over in his luxurious king size bed before making his way to a bistro and purchasing fashion magazines. He heads back home only to be sought by Cunanan who impulsively shoots Gianni multiple times. The show progresses thereon and a series of flashbacks are set in motion depicting Gianni and Cunanan’s odd connection in the past.

In reality, Gianni’s sudden death drew media frenzy and hype and is often regarded as a murder mystery. The show brings back time and ‘90s nostalgia and the cast delivers stellar performances. However, there is one performance that stood out and that was of Darren Criss.

He notoriously embodied the role of Cunanan and made it his own. It will be unfair to question Criss’s acting talent as he gave his career’s best performance, in my opinion. In contrast, Penélope Cruz did not amalgamate as Donatella. Although her acting was impressive, her outlook and appearance was faulty. Perhaps Donatella’s character would have better suited Lady Gaga.

‘The Assassination Of Gianni Versace’ is a decent addition to the anthology series. The show is intense and the performances are believable but the storyline has loopholes and un-addressed questions we need answers to; did Cuannan really know Gianni beforehand? What was his motive to kill?

Hypothetically speaking, I on and off suspected Donatella for conspiring against her late brother Gianni. There has to be some connection between her and the murder of Gianni. Nonetheless, the show is decent and cleverly put together. I hope the follow up episodes unveil crucial information about Gianni’s death; it is good television for a reason.

‘The Assassination Of Gianni Versace’ exemplifies power and panache – Daily Times

The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story Review: Manhunt (Season 2 Episode 2)

The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story Season 2 Episode 2 “Manhunt” is disturbing, emotional, and compelling. It still is struggling with time jumps, but overall, “Manhunt” is really starting to show us who these characters are—for better or for worse.

On the premiere episode, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story “The Man Who Would be Vogue” (Season 2 Episode 1), I didn’t feel much of a connection with Donatella. However, on “Manhunt,” we see their close bond as well as some points of contention.

Donatella: What is Versace without you?

Gianni: It is you.

Donatella: And what am I without you?

Gianni: You will find out.

The look on Donatella’s face as she sees Gianni in the casket—wow. Seeing Donatella lose her composure is just heartbreaking.

On “Manhunt,” we get a glimpse into Gianni and Antonio’s relationship and see that American Crime Story is going with the theory that Gianni was HIV Positive. Donatella thinks that Antonio is to blame for her brother’s illness. These scenes provide more insight as to why Donatella has been so dismissive of him after Gianni’s death.

As Antonio points out, Gianni is not a saint. However, Antonio is enough for Gianni but is Gianni enough for Antonio?

The question is answered with a particularly sweet moment at the end of the episode where Gianni and Antonio kiss outside the nightclub and go home together. It’s also bittersweet because it won’t be long before Gianni is gunned down.

Meanwhile, we see Andrew in May 1997 as he hits the road towards Miami after stealing license plates in South Carolina. He is jubilant as he sings to “Gloria” and it’s hard to imagine that he has already killed four men.

In Miami, Andrew’s lies continue, and he makes a friend in Ronnie, an HIV positive addict who is also staying at the Normandy Hotel.

I find the scenes between Ronnie and Andrew to be really interesting. Andrew loves an audience and spinning tales of his life but Ronnie doesn’t completely buy it.

I also may have a tiny crush on Max Greenfield with his handlebar mustache.

There are a few scenes with Miami detectives and the FBI and we see how the FBI has already bungled up the investigation of Cunanan in Miami. They don’t distribute flyers, which is a huge mistake as pointed out when Andrew goes to the pawn shop and uses his own identification.

The pawn shop owner actually looks at a bulletin board of wanted men in the area.

Andrew Cunanan is not one of them.

They also don’t listen to Detective Lori Wieder who says that they should look at all the gay nightclubs, including Twist, which is where Andy ends up at the end of the episode. The FBI say that Andrew is probably hitting up old men in Fort Lauderdale.

That isn’t entirely inaccurate as Andrew goes back to an older man’s hotel room after meeting him on the beach. He’s a married CEO of a company and tells Andrew he can be submissive.

The following scene is incredibly disturbing as Andrew wraps the man’s face with duct tape and restricts his breathing and then dances around in the hotel room before straddling the man with a pair of scissors.

Darren Criss as Andrew Cunanan continues to amaze me.

The weakest part of “Manhunt” is the time jumps. The episode starts in 1994 with Versace being very sick. I didn’t mind this flashback because it shows the close relationship between Donatella and Gianni and then explains why Donatella doesn’t like Antonio.

It also shows that Gianni was once close to death but then managed to survive. It’s sad to know that he’ll be dead only a few years later.

The episode then jumps to May 1997, the day after Gianni’s murder in July 1997, a fashion show a few weeks before his death, and then some time in the months/weeks leading up to the murder while Andrew’s in Miami.

What was the point of seeing Andrew in South Carolina? It only showed us how strangely calm he is after he’s already committed a few murders.

And the Versace fashion show? It does show Donatella and Gianni butting heads, but I kind of think it’s purely so Gianni can talk about how life is beautiful.

It makes it all the sadder when his life ends so violently.

Overall, “Manhunt” is a riveting episode and I can tell how much I enjoyed it because I simply didn’t want it to end. The acting is incredible, the music is upbeat but oddly unsettling, and the subject matter is compelling.

Now, if The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story could only get their act together when it comes to timelines and flashbacks.

Reviewer Rating: 4½ / 5 Stars

The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story Review: Manhunt (Season 2 Episode 2)

How Well Did This Show Re-create Versace Looks?

There was a lot of fashion to soak up in episode two of The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, which aired Wednesday night on FX. In addition to seeing Andrew Cunanan (Darren Criss) in a custom-made, teeny-tiny hot-pink Speedo, the costume department re-created eight nearly identical looks from Gianni Versace’s final runway show before his death, since Versace wouldn’t lend any vintage pieces for the filming.

Below, costume designer Lou Eyrich breaks down all the standout scenes.

THAT Hot-Pink Speedo

The world first got a glimpse of Andrew Cunanan’s hot-pink Speedo bathing suit when actor Darren Criss shared a racy photo of it it on his personal Instagram account. But here it is in action. “We custom-made those,” said Eyrich. “Ryan [Murphy] wanted hot-pink Speedos. He’s very specific.”

Versace’s Last Runway Show

The costume department’s team of tailors re-created eight looks from Atelier Versace’s fall 1997 show, which was Gianni’s last. In the episode, Gianni and Donatella get in an argument about casting models. Donatella, who is worried about the brand keeping up with names like Alexander McQueen and John Galliano, wants stick-thin girls in all-black. Meanwhile, Gianni wants to continue using his favorite supermodels like Naomi Campbell, dressing them in his now-signature color and shine.

“I want my models to look like they enjoy life,” says Gianni. “Like they eat, at least! Like they laugh; like they dance; like they make love. What do those girls enjoy?”

“Front covers?” Donatella retorts.

“The script specified a distinction,” explained Eyrich, so they showed five looks of Donatella’s liking, and three of Gianni’s. Naomi Campbell closed the show as a shimmering bride in a scandalously short silver dress.

This woman is “not a virgin bride” but a “Versace bride,” says Gianni. “She will be a woman who’s loved many men before. A woman who’s finally found her equal — a match for her passions. She won’t be dainty or timid; she will be proud and strong.”

In the end, Times critic Amy M. Spindler gave the collection a positive review.

In Da Club

Gianni walks into Twist, a popular Miami club wearing an incredible, see-through lace shirt. “Less is more,” said Eyrich of the ’90s Miami nightlife look. “It was a lot of tank tops. A lot of shirtless men. Very sweaty, but also Ryan really wanted to show those Miami colors — that sizzle. It’s hot, hot heat. So there were a lot of short shorts and white jeans and flip-flops. Just very carefree, free-spirited lightness. A lot of skin and hot bodies.”

Cunanan was also at a Miami nightclub that night. When his dance partner asks what he does for a living, he replies, “I’m a serial killer,” with a smile.

How Well Did This Show Re-create Versace Looks?

THE ASSASSINATION OF GIANNI VERSACE Review: “Manhunt”

“They say people who don’t have much more living to do come to live by the beach.“

Andrew Cunanan (Darren Criss) arrived in Miami Beach, Florida in early May ‘97, having already murdered four people in the five weeks preceding his move. At the time, there was a nationwide manhunt for the twenty-seven-year-old spree killer, and a month later he made the FBI’s Most Wanted List. Upon arriving, he struck up a friendship with a local hustler, Ronnie (Max Greenfield), who was suffering from AIDS. Andrew began tricking – targeting older, wealthy men, while free-basing with his new partner in crime at a rundown roach motel. All the while, Andrew would buy disposable cameras and snap photos of Gianni Versace’s (Edgar Ramírez) mansion, telling Ronnie he knew the famous fashion mogul, and that they were even partners in San Francisco at one point (to which Ronnie would just shrug, knowing the kid was full of shit).

There were numerous instances where Cunanan was almost caught before putting two bullets in Versace on July 15, 1997. The FBI knew the shooter was headed to Miami Beach, and even alerted local authorities. However, when detectives offered to take FBI Agents Evans (Jay R. Ferguson) and Gruber (Christine Horn) on a tour of local gay night spots, and even help hang their B&W Most Wanted fliers, Evans waved off the invitation, instead wanting to canvas Ft. Lauderdale beaches for potential targets. Cunanan pawned a gold coin he took from the home of one of his victims using his real name and Miami address a week before murdering Gianni, but the shop owner (Cathy Moriarty) didn’t know it was him, because there was no photo hanging on her usual board of potentially suspicious clients. A deli cashier (Bobby Ray Cauley Jr.) called the cops when Cunanan ordered a soda, stating he’d seen the killer on America’s Most Wanted, but by the time patrolmen arrived on scene, Andrew was gone – disappeared into a local disco to dance the night away, a backpack with a pistol over his shoulder.

The Assassination of Gianni Versace’s second episode – playfully gifted the double entendre title "Manhunt” – goes to painstaking lengths to recreate, embellish and invent these scenarios, as Criss’ wide-eyed, hyper-focused performance continues to be the main focal point of American Crime Story Season Two. It wants us to know that this infamous murder could’ve easily been prevented if the FBI’s bumbling (or was it homophobia?) hadn’t been so blatant. Yet it also wants us to feel a deep sense of empathy for Cunanan, who is really nothing more than a lost boy in a great big world, trying to deal with the fact that nobody’s ever wanted him, and that his invented identity will always be preferable to the “faggot” the rest of society views him as. To be honest, if it weren’t for Criss – who truly is phenomenal and walks a fine line balancing both the sympathetic and sociopathic – the whole thing would collapse into a rather embarrassing set of stereotypes: the self-loathing queer who lies and kills because he just can’t stand himself.

Ryan Murphy being Ryan Murphy, there’s some grand exploitation thrown in, ostensibly just for good measure. “Manhunt” truly lives up to its name in a scene where Cunanan picks up a john (Robert Catrini) – a straight, white, rich businessman at the beach – who takes the killer back to his lavish hotel room for submissive sex. Cunanan duct tapes the man’s face closed – creating a sort of silver homemade gimp mask – and then dances around the room in a pink Speedo-style bathing suit to Phil Collins and Philip Bailey’s “Easy Lover” while his “client” writhes on the bed, unable to breathe. Just as it seems he’s about to suffocate, creating victim number five, the gigolo cuts a hole and allows his john to suck in some air. It’s a grotesque, harrowing scene reminiscent of Buffalo Bill tucking it back in The Silence of the Lambs(’91) before prancing about to Q Lazzarus’ “Goodbye Horses”.

Thankfully, this trashy, scandalous scene is made a bit more digestible by everything involving Gianni and his partner Antonio (Ricky Martin) that’s featured in this episode’s numerous flashbacks to ‘94, where Versace is receiving treatment for HIV. As salacious as the sexual content in The Assassination of Gianni Versace is, this melancholy portrait of a famous artist struggling with terminal illness is probably going to be the biggest point of contention for most viewers. The Versace family has long denied that Gianni was HIV positive when he was murdered in ’97, so using this possibly invented moment in his life as a jumping off point to explore both his sexual history with Antonio, along with his companion’s contentious relationship with Gianni’s sister Donatella (Penélope Cruz) is a brazen narrative conceit. Donatella views Antonio as just another pretty clinger sucking her beloved sibling dry while bringing nothing to the table, while the man passionately confesses his love for the mogul in private, and would seemingly do anything – including introducing multiple sexual partners into their bedroom – to please him.

So, why introduce the AIDS narrative if the Versaces deny it to be true? For starters, it plays into American Crime Story’s brand of both indulging the myths that surround these famous ’90s atrocities (see: nearly everything about Cuba Gooding Jr.’s performance as OJ Simpson in Season One), while simultaneously debunking them. One of the great falsehoods about Andrew Cunanan was that he too had AIDS, becoming part of his primary motivation for violently taking life. Writer Tom Rob Smith – working off Maureen Orth’s book Vulgar Favors – is also playing up the tragic resurgence of Versace, as he roared back to health after falling ill in ’94 and ’95, trying to reclaim his seat as the world’s most inspired designer (a throne that had been stolen by Alexander McQueen). The last six months of Gianni’s life saw him vigorously combating whatever was ailing him and espousing the notion of living life to its fullest while ceaselessly creating – an idea that’s channeled through a fictionalized backstage bit of bickering between Gianni and Donatella regarding the rather vapidly skinny texture of the models wearing his latest line. He doesn’t want sickly waifs, but women who look like they embrace existence.

This rather melodramatic mix of truth and provocation is what makes The Assassination of Gianni Versace so compelling (not to mention the show’s usually lush production design). The concoction is proving to be a rather potent mixture, creating this swooning, swirling air of unfortunate destiny in which these doomed figures all collide, storylines revolving around sex, violence and AIDS proving that the difference between fact and fiction is irrelevant when it’s all so goddamn gripping.

THE ASSASSINATION OF GIANNI VERSACE Review: “Manhunt”

The Assassination Of Gianni Versace Episode 1 – Review

Brett, Ben, and Meredith review the first episode of American Crime Stories second season about the assassination of Gianni Versace. | 25 January 2018

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