This movie was a big disappointment on nearly all fronts. I like films set in old Hollywood or environs and of recent vintage "L.A. Confidential" and even "Hollywoodland" (recently reviewed) were successful in conjuring up the period. This so-called film noir by usually reliable director Brian De Palma, despite good production values and a decent cast, just did not hack it. Based on the novel by James Ellroy of the still unsolved so-called 'black dahlia' murder, De Palma has decided to solve the mystery in his own convoluted and unconvincing way.
Part of the problem is having Josh Hartnett in the lead since, while a pretty face, he is ever so lightweight. He finds himself trying to solve both the murder of a two-bit actress plus that of his own partner, an equally unbelievable Aaron Eckhart. We're presented with a love triangle of Hartnett, Eckhart, and the fragrant Scarlett Johansson, a totally unnecessary lesbian spin on the events, and a secondary triangle of Hartnett, Johansson, and society dame Hilary Swank. Neither of the actresses particularly excel in this movie, although we know that they are both able -- Swank has two Oscars for goodness sake! We are also introduced to Shakespearian actress Fiona Shaw in the role of Swank's 'cokehead' mother, who is so over the top that she seems to have wandered in from a production of "Macbeth". The pacing was poor as well; something of a pity, since the source material should have produced a cracking movie.
1 comment:
De Palma has made some good films but, alas, this is not one of them. As you
point out, the film hangs on the male lead rather than the females which is a pity
as a Mia Kirshner/Scarlett Johannson combination could be dynamite where here
both as adequate in underwritten roles. The distaff side is decidely let down by
Fiona Shaw whose OTT performance would have been out of place in a Victorian
penny dreadful. Of the males, John Kavanagh as the father had a nothing part
and the various policemen were stock figures. Aaron Eckhart who plays Josh
Hartnett's partner was tolerable though I find his screen persona hard to take.
Which leaves the vacuum that is Hartnett. He may be one of the current flavours
and can probably do well in romantic comedies but he does not have the depth
to hold a film together so why he was cast is yet another Black Dahlia mystery.
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