Domino
By David Wallace Domino, the uber-styled new film from director Tony
Scott is a sensory feast of action, intrigue and good old American
whup-ass. It’s also based on a true story. Well, sort of.
Domino Harvey (Keira Knightly), the real life daughter of matinee
idol Lawrence Harvey, left a life of Hollywood glam and runway modeling
behind to pursue a career as a real life bounty hunter. This, in
all likelihood is the only true story. The remaining fiction, a
blend of Taratino-esque pulp and Oliver Stone like camera wizardry,
is a far fetched, albeit compelling series of crime capers, strip
clubs and hard living men and women.
Domino hooks up with a duo of career bounty hunters and fast becomes
their most valuable weapon. A beautiful girl, afraid of nothing,
a whiz with nun-chucks (she’s no Napoleon Dynamite, this girl
can kick your ass). The trio gets in over their heads as bail bondsman
Delroy Lindey involves them in a scam that goes predictably awry.
All the while, reality TV producer, played by the always gratifying
Christopher Walken, wants to follow Domino and her cohorts around
with a camera crew for a “Cops” like reality show. It’s
all a rather tired comment on America’s fascination with the
media, tough guys/girls and sex. Not to say it doesn’t have
its moments, cos it absolutely does. Mickey Rourke, in his second
commanding role this year is back to form as the ass kicking Ed
Mosbey and Knightly’s Domino is a commanding screen presence.
The dialog is a bit stiff and characters tend to all become stereotypes
(the fat latino gang bangers, the Jerry Springer addicted, “Talk
to the hand”, head wagging black women, the cagey Italian
Mafioso’s, etc) – but the stylish look of the film saves
it from strict genre imitation. A blend of color and contrast, fast
cuts and slow motion, it’s a treat for the eyes that never
let’s up.
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