The Black Dahlia

Dir: Brian De Palma (The Untouchables, Scarface, Carlito's Way)
Cast: Josh Hartnett, Scarlett Johansson, Aaron Eckhart, Hilary Swank
Germany/USA, 2006

Seen: Feb 18, 2007 on pay-per-view

Reason to see: Oscar Nominated for Cinematography

The only thing I can really say is that using only an Oscar nomination as rationale to see something is starting to fade. It felt like there was an interesting story here, and promise of some interesting characters - I mean, how can you go wrong with the femme fatale thing? But it just didn't work for me. I got annoyed at things I would let slide if I found the film interesting enough (accents, taking things for how they are presented as opposed to how they appear) but I couldn't.

There was also an undercutting edge to most of the characters, which makes sense if they were going for film noir but it fell short. It didn't have the desperation or apathy in the characters that usually makes that work. It felt like people where light when they should have been serious and vice versa.

Aaron Eckhart was, in my opinion, the most interesting part of the film. Solid performance.

Shannon's Overall View:
I didn't really like it
I wouldn't watch it again
I don't recommend it

Warnings: some grisly violence / imagery

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© Shannon Ridler, 2007