Ask The Dust: Review

As I mentioned in my post "Idina Returns To The Green", I did watch the film Ask The Dust, and it was a lot more enjoyable than I had originally anticipated it to be. The story (based on the novel Ask The Dust by John Fante) centers around Arturo Bandini (played by Colin Farrell), a struggling Italian-American author in search of fame, fortune and a pretty blonde to be seen by his side in the streets of Depression-era Los Angeles. What he finds is fiery, hot tempered, Mexican waitress Camilla Lopez (Salma Hayek), who herself longs to marry a rich, well to do white man and shed the racial limitations that come from her last name. The two meet, instantly (and naturally) colliding in a world where the relationship between Anglo-Americans and people of Mexican descent is met with hostility and ignorance. A nice little love story that does not unfold easily or smoothly (but in the end satisfyingly and beautifully). Colin does an incredible job portraying the confused, inexperienced (almost adolescent in a sense) writer, trying to come to terms with his self worth (especially where Camilla is concerned). He refuses to let her embarrass herself by pretending to be something that she isn't, yet he as a struggling author who can't provide her with the lifestyle to which she aspires to someday be accustomed, feels inadequate and ultimately unworthy. Until, however, he comes across Vera (Idina Menzel), a haunted, emotionally (and physically) scarred young woman, who is longing for love and acceptance in the face of her own inadequacies and who becomes a muse in many ways for Arturo's writing. Making him realize that people hurt the ones they love when they feel they can't make them happy, Arturo makes Camilla confront her own definition of happiness. Directed by Robert Towne (Chinatown), this movie does have it's share of slow points (as most love stories tend to), and there are moments when you just want to scream at your TV "Just stop fighting with each other and fall in love already". But overall it was not bad at all. I'd give it 3 out of 5. You'll either like it or not. Colin does a fantastic American accent though (I never caught him slipping once). Although after watching that sex tape he did, I can't quite look at him the same way in a film anymore. I wasn't a big fan before, but after watching his bedside manner....you're one of those people who just shouldn't talk during sex Colin. Frankly you're embarrassing.