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Directed by D.J. Caruso
After the murder of his beloved wife, Danny Parker is set adrift in a world where nothing is as it seems. On his journey he befriends slacker Jimmy the Finn and becomes involved in rescuing his neighbor Colette from her own demons. Danny is antagonized by undercover narcotics agents and sadistic dealer Pooh-Bear (plot).
"The Salton Sea" is a lowlife black comedy drawing inspiration from "Memento," "Pulp Fiction" and those trendy British thrillers about drug lads - Roger Ebert.
This film begins so much like the classic 1940s film noir - complete with the nightmarish setting, the slow, mysterious first-person monologue, and the flashback sequences - that at first it might seem almost too "imitation." But don't be turned off! This one sets new high standards for the genre, no matter how you define "film noir," this film offers the best of the classic style along with a brilliant, modern theme. Yes, it's one of those dramas in which all the players are "bad guys" in one way or another. And yes, it is also about squalid, tragic, miserable lives and situations that are fascinating on screen but where we wouldn't want to go in real life. And finally, it follows the time-honored plot formula involving treacherous motives, decadence and corruption, and double-cross -- and, of course, the surprise ending.
I can't say this movie is for everyone. It's a film for adults who can appreciate a complicated, sinister thriller. The backdrop of urban slums and rural blight might be depressing to some, but I find it to be an absolutely brilliant and essential backdrop to the story. Is the violence excessive? Probably, but that's usually the case these days. In any case, it isn't pointless.
The dialogue (and the continuous first-person narrative) is top-notch. The characters are morbidly fascinating and unforgettable. This film's trip into the seamy world of the tweekers (meth heads) and its ominous tale of revenge make for a truly great film.
5/5
This film begins so much like the classic 1940s film noir - complete with the nightmarish setting, the slow, mysterious first-person monologue, and the flashback sequences - that at first it might seem almost too "imitation." But don't be turned off! This one sets new high standards for the genre, no matter how you define "film noir," this film offers the best of the classic style along with a brilliant, modern theme. Yes, it's one of those dramas in which all the players are "bad guys" in one way or another. And yes, it is also about squalid, tragic, miserable lives and situations that are fascinating on screen but where we wouldn't want to go in real life. And finally, it follows the time-honored plot formula involving treacherous motives, decadence and corruption, and double-cross -- and, of course, the surprise ending.
I can't say this movie is for everyone. It's a film for adults who can appreciate a complicated, sinister thriller. The backdrop of urban slums and rural blight might be depressing to some, but I find it to be an absolutely brilliant and essential backdrop to the story. Is the violence excessive? Probably, but that's usually the case these days. In any case, it isn't pointless.
The dialogue (and the continuous first-person narrative) is top-notch. The characters are morbidly fascinating and unforgettable. This film's trip into the seamy world of the tweekers (meth heads) and its ominous tale of revenge make for a truly great film.
