Two policemen (Josh Harnett & Aaron Eckhart) see their personal and professional lives fall apart in the wake of the “Black Dahlia” murder investigation.

I think of Scarlett Johansson and Josh Hartnett as part of “young Hollywood” which makes me immediately dislike them. Well, I liked Johansson in Lost in Translation and looked forward to seeing her in other films as an upcoming actress, but all she’s managed to “act” as is the “girl” in films. Not to say she’s a bad actress one way or another, but, she’s not quite memorable but for her pretty face. I’ve seen Hartnett act in other films such as Sin City and Pearl Harbor (the latter I hate, the former I love), but he still doesn’t strike me as…well…striking. But, sometimes ya just don’t have to be. He was solid as officer Dwight “Bucky” Bleichert in The Black Dahlia. And frankly, so was Johansson. The movie surprised me. Though the film is deceptively advertised as a film about the mystery surrounding the death of Elizabeth Short, a.k.a. the black dahlia, it is in fact a film about the lives of the cops put on the case of her death and how her death effected their lives in return.

The film also fortunately had some twists, turns and surprises so I was never bored. Hilary Swank, as always was phenomenal as Madeleine Linscott, the daughter of a wealthy crooked man and somewhat loony woman and Bucky’s the off-again-on-again love interest. Aaron Eckhart was great as Bucky’s partner, Sgt. Leland “Lee” Blanchard, a crooked cop with a soft heart. I didn’t even know he was in the film and happy he was. I saw Conversations with Other Women some weeks back and have since put him on my list of actors to watch. I actually wanted to see Hollywoodland more than The Black Dahlia, but am very happy I saw Black Dahlia because when I see Hollywoodland, I might be inclined to compare the two in a post soon, so look out for it.

I’d give Black Dahlia 3 out of 5 stars. Brian de Palma (director) has not had much luck with films in the past decade. Remember Mission to Mars with Gary Siniser and Don Cheadle. That was a stinker. I saw this on campus in a pre-screening for free and I walked out just after Tim Robbins body exploded after he got caught in space sans oxygen. Oh, and remember that real stinker Femme Fatale with of all people Antonio Banderas and Rebecca Romijn. Who did the casting in this one!!! Can you say, Pepe Le Pew! Regardless, although The Black Dahlia got bad reviews (see here), I was quite satisfied with it. It was entertaining, well acted and not boring. Sometimes, that’s all that’s needed in a good movie experience. Especially at matinee price, *wink*!

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