Airless, joyless

| Aug 30, 2009

Donald Sutherland saunters onscreen, momentarily raising the level of the film, before he ambles back out the door and things sink back down to the listless and pointless pace that typifies this jumbled mess of a movie.

Full Review | Original Score: 62/100 | Apr 19, 2007

Supporting characters float in and disappear without rhyme, reason or resolution.

| Feb 6, 2007

Towne has a perhaps unique ability to make this ill-fated movie romance classically seductive while doing full justice to its authentic subject. [His] canniness as a writer and casual sophistication do wonders for the actors.

| Nov 1, 2006

full review in Greek

| Original Score: 2/5 | Oct 3, 2006

Although Chinatown writer Towne lovingly depicts the Depression-era LA setting (actually shot in South Africa), the film misfires.

| Jun 24, 2006

Termina numa nota amarga; não em função de sua história, mas da promessa não realizada de se revelar um filme grandioso, digno de seu diretor.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Jun 8, 2006

It is a odd-sounding, odd-looking piece of work, not uninteresting by any means, but there is something a little forced in both lead performances.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Jun 3, 2006

A perplexing but ultimately rewarding experience.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Jun 3, 2006

The upshot is a careful, deliberately old-fashioned picture which has many admirable qualities.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Jun 2, 2006

Like the desert beyond, the film is arid and airless.

| Original Score: 2/5 | May 23, 2006

The elements never quite come together, and the main characters never quite spring to life.

| Original Score: 2/5 | May 12, 2006

Something is missing, though. The themes are all there, but the movie doesn't cross the blood-brain barrier and rev you up.

| May 12, 2006

This film is too dull to really spring to life.

| Original Score: 2.5/5 | May 6, 2006

A lush ode to optimism, opportunity and the American dream.

| Original Score: 3/4 | May 4, 2006

A pulpy, hard-boiled, ironic tale but with a happy ending

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | Apr 14, 2006

The characters are well drawn, but their relationships are not, making the viewing experience passive.

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | Apr 10, 2006

No one gets away unscathed in Robert Towne's overblown attempt at transfiguring John Fante's novel to film.

| Original Score: C- | Apr 9, 2006

Farrell and costar Salma Hayek have rarely been so affecting, or so effective, as self-hating ethnics who find love.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Mar 30, 2006

An excessively melodrama story filled with cliches about writing.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Mar 29, 2006