A Review by Phil Calabro
2006, Universal Pictures, Dir. Brian DePalma - Starring Josh Hartnett, Aaron Eckhart, Scarlett Johansson, Hilary Swank, Mia Kirschner, Patrick Fischler, Mike Starr, Fiona Shaw, John Kavanagh, James Otis, Troy Evans, Anthony Russell, Pepe Serna, Angus MacInnes
Brian DePalma's eye for crime noir has been noted by several film historians - he's a master at most of what he does. 'The Black Dahlia' is not one of these masterpieces. Rather, James Ellroy's fact-and-fiction novel has been given a gorgeous, sleek look and one wretched, botched rewrite for the screen. Rarely do scripts this convoluted show up in the mainstream theater circuit, and it's truly an near-unbearable experience if it wasn't for some showy performances. For conspiracy buffs, 'Dahlia' sheds no new light on the case, and its finale makes a mockery of the death. For critics, the faults are widely noticable, ranging from the annoying narrative and complicated story. For moviegoers, it's just boring. Hartnett and Eckhart give monotonous performances while Scarlett Johansson's talent is ignored by the script. Hilary Swank and Mia Kirshner give an inspired touch to their characters, but they're the film's saving grace. 'Dahlia' is beautiful visually, but lost in its own words and rather self-absorbed. DePalma's failing streak has extended once again.
Dwight "Bucky" Bleichert (Hartnett) and Leland "Lee" Blanchard (Eckhart) are two of Los Angeles' best detectives. They have a reputation around the streets - they take names and take them down. Lee is in a relationship with Kay Lake (Johansson), with some sexual tension between her and Bucky. But the three all remain close friends, until a cold case of murder comes their way. A young woman - identified as Elizabeth Short (Kirshner), nicknamed the 'Black Dahlia' - is found killed on a backroad. Cut in half, disemboweled, and lacerated, the girl's death seemed too odd to just be a regular murder. Bucky and Lee are put on the case, but Lee is having some troubles dealing with the investigation. Kay was once raped and cut by a man about to be released on parole, and the simultaneous release of the criminal and the criminal wanted in the Dahlia case lead to Lee's mental instability. Meanwhile, Bucky begins to uncover a possible alibi from a wealthy prostitute (Swank) whose family may have some answers about the Dahlia.
Josh Hartnett, who I've seen pull off some great roles in the past, is dry and uninteresting. His lack of expression is noticable, especially those scenes involving chemistry with Johansson's character. Hartnett and Eckhart are believable as a team, but one could only wish the character of Bucky Bleichert was more in touch with the Dahlia investigation. Rather, Josh is forced to endure the loopy final hour that spirals downwards. Eckhart upstages Hartnett with his overexaggerated performance that clashes with the team's collaboration. After seeing Eckhart win me over in spring's 'Thank You For Smoking', this is a personal disappointment. Johansson's character, a hub for both main characters, is put aside a romantic diversion that means nothing by the end of the movie. Still, Scarlett steals the scene whenever possible. Hilary Swank is lusciously bizarre as Madeleine Linscott, a rich girl with a dark past. Picking bits and pieces from Joan Crawford and Norma Desmond, Swank is a prima donna villain. Mia Kirshner also struts her stuff in her "posthumous" role as Elizabeth Short, only seen in audition reels as a puissant amateur actress.
Again, DePalma scores in the cinematography, but only succeeds in making his film look noir rather than becoming noir. The script, written by Josh Friedman (smirky screenwriter of 'War of the Worlds'), is one of the worst in a long time. Much dialogue, and Hartnett's narrative, seems to be pulled verbatim from the novel. This makes for a disjointed story, relying on flashbacks and multiple past cases that the characters have taken part in. It takes nearly 45 minutes to get to the Dahlia case itself, already piled over by detrimental personal conflict. I care about one murder, and one murder only, and that's the Black Dahlia. I definitely paid $7 to see a movie about the Black Dahlia, the poster said 'Black Dahlia' on it, and only a fraction of the movie was about the Black Dahlia. And when it does boil down to the murder, it's like watching a big practical joke laid on the audience. Think along the lines of the movie 'Clue'. Except if it was unintentionally funny.
'Black Dahlia' is half the movie I expected to see, and a monstrous disappointment for the fall season. With such a stellar cast and a legendary director, the average moviegoer would expect some veneer with its picture. It looks intelligent, and makes no sense verbally.
