film: review

> DOMINO (2005)
My name is Domino Harvey, you will either love me or you will hate me.

By John C. Lyons
Film Critic

Starring: Keira Knightley, Mickey Rourke, Edgar Ramirez

Directed by: Tony Scott

Written by: Richard Kelly

Genre: Action / Biography / Crime / Drama / Thriller

Our Rating: 9/10

Domino drips with style. The style is running off the screen, it's so over-the-top! Call me crazy, but I had an absolute blast with this movie. It was one of those movies you can actually call a "ride" and mean it. Domino never pretends to be something it's not. If you liked the remix-style trailers, you're going to enjoy the movie. If they drove you nuts, you’re going to leave early or with a headache. Personally, I think it's great that director Tony Scott wants to shake-up the by-the-books style of filmmaking. With up to seven cameras blazing in a single shot, his frenzied approach is unique and takes cinematic risks in the Hollywood mainstream.

Ebert and Roeper gave the film “two thumbs up”, but they made a good point that it will polarize audiences and critics alike. The way Domino is delivered will lead to the “style over substance” comments and that’s a shame because here it’s just not the case. There is a story there (written by Donnie Darko’s Richard Kelly), it’s just not told in a linear fashion. Instead, it’s told from the lead’s perspective. The film’s spastic cinematography and editing are Domino Harvey’s (Knightley) world and they serve the story and aren’t just fantastic to look at. Scott has been perfecting this method over the last few years (see the excellent Man on Fire) and it’s clear that he has a character he can use to exploit it.

As for character, Keira Knightley does an amazing job as Domino Harvey. The movie is on her shoulders and she doesn’t once seem inappropriate for the role of this model turned bounty hunter. From the first minute I believed in her character, no questions asked. That’s just good acting. I was already a fan, now I'm totally hooked. The Brit has talent! Mickey Rourke continues his comeback streak, nice job again here. Ramirez, the cast's newcomer, was entertaining as well and I really enjoyed the subtle moments of lust and torture between him and Domino. I found the family dynamic of this threesome to be both interesting and bizarre, but always entertaining. If you watch the end credits, the real Domino Harvey appears after Knightley and she also speaks the "Heads you live, tails you die" dialogue in one of the film’s songs.

related links:
Domino - official site

MPAA rating: R
for strong violence, pervasive language, sexual content/nudity and drug use

length: 127 minutes