Ask the Dust (C or 2/4 stars)
'Ask the Dust' is a film noir directed by Robert Towne. Arturo Bandini (Colin Farrell), a second-generation Italian, has moved to Depression-era Los Angeles with hopes of jump starting a career as a famous novelist. He barely has any $$, & stays in a dilapidated hotel run by Mrs. Hargraves (Dame Eileen Atkins). She won't allow Mexicans or Jews to stay in her hotel; get the picture here? So far, the only inspiration for his book comes from the dying palm tree that sits outside his hotel window; that is, until he meets Camilla Lopez (Salma Hayek), a Mexican waitress from a cafe downtown. This movie chronicles his longing to be famous, her longing to fit in as an American, & their disjointed love. And as Arturo types his life on the typewriter, he realizes that it is quickly becoming his novel.
Camilla is feisty & raw; a looker & a lover. And she desires to marry an American so that she can drop her last name to fit-in to this 'new' America. Arturo is materialistic & stubborn. He is optimistic in L.A. that he can land a blonde, blue-eyed beauty, make $$, & settle at a home on the beach. This gets complicated when they fall into a love-hate relationship in a world where couples of different skin color and/or cultural backgrounds are practically forbidden (from a social standpoint). They argue, they love, they fight, they have tawdry sex, they are seen in public together, & then all goes to pot.
Oh, before I forget ... Donald Sutherland is in the story as an elderly, drunk, slovenly neighbor to Arturo. And Idina Menzel is in this story as a drunk, disfigured woman who sneeas into Arturo's apartment with hopes of sleeping with him & starting a new life (far away from her abusive husband). Last we see her, she is in bed with Arturo & discussing his upcoming novel. Then ... she disappears for the duration of the film. What the heck?
Furthermore, I was disappointed that this film is as flat as it is. How did this happen? I suppose we must Ask the Dust. Might as well, as I have absolutely no idea why this film is titled that in the first place {haha}. The only aspect of the film that is truly praise-worthy, for me, would be Caleb Deschanel's cinematography. But the direction, dialogue, & the predictability of the plot is too lifeless for the film to work as a good film noir. Half way through, I kinda knew that I was going to end up being disappointed by the whole endeavor. Salma Hayek is good, Colin Farrell is okay. Most of the acting was too overwrought or underplayed; not right on the money, so to speak. Overall, there just wasn't enough synergy going on btwn. all these cinematic elements that typically make up a good film.
Camilla is feisty & raw; a looker & a lover. And she desires to marry an American so that she can drop her last name to fit-in to this 'new' America. Arturo is materialistic & stubborn. He is optimistic in L.A. that he can land a blonde, blue-eyed beauty, make $$, & settle at a home on the beach. This gets complicated when they fall into a love-hate relationship in a world where couples of different skin color and/or cultural backgrounds are practically forbidden (from a social standpoint). They argue, they love, they fight, they have tawdry sex, they are seen in public together, & then all goes to pot.
Oh, before I forget ... Donald Sutherland is in the story as an elderly, drunk, slovenly neighbor to Arturo. And Idina Menzel is in this story as a drunk, disfigured woman who sneeas into Arturo's apartment with hopes of sleeping with him & starting a new life (far away from her abusive husband). Last we see her, she is in bed with Arturo & discussing his upcoming novel. Then ... she disappears for the duration of the film. What the heck?
Furthermore, I was disappointed that this film is as flat as it is. How did this happen? I suppose we must Ask the Dust. Might as well, as I have absolutely no idea why this film is titled that in the first place {haha}. The only aspect of the film that is truly praise-worthy, for me, would be Caleb Deschanel's cinematography. But the direction, dialogue, & the predictability of the plot is too lifeless for the film to work as a good film noir. Half way through, I kinda knew that I was going to end up being disappointed by the whole endeavor. Salma Hayek is good, Colin Farrell is okay. Most of the acting was too overwrought or underplayed; not right on the money, so to speak. Overall, there just wasn't enough synergy going on btwn. all these cinematic elements that typically make up a good film.