Review of The Black Dahlia

I read these reviews before seeing the picture, and really expected a bomb. Maybe it was my low expectations, but I thought the movie acquitted itself of being a "wait for the DVD" review. First, don't go with the expectation of seeing a murder mystery, this is not about tracking down bad guys and solving a crime. This is a movie about relationships. You best be aware at the get-go about paying attention to the dialog in order to understand what is going on. The low point came when Rose McGowan was interviewed by one cop and looked more like an old imitation of of her TV Charmed role. The problem is that what she says sets up the rest of the movie. If you dismiss her delivery without paying attention to what she says, you can quickly get lost and frustrated. In fact, the movie requires the viewer to be an active listener of all the dialog in order to understand what's going on...If you are into passive entertainment, go to another movie. The movie does have a lot of holes and weak points. Hillary Swank's accent comes in and out at odd times. One cop beats up a main character in one scene, and he returns without a scratch in the next scene. Scarlett Johanson is a poor man's Kim Bassinger from L.A. Confidental, but she still exudes a passable sexual aura.

In spite of these shortcomings, the late 40s style of the movie captures the time better than any other work I've seen. The two police buddies give very credible performances. The storyline is smart and DePalma does tie everything up in the end. The dinner at Hillary Swank's house is worth the price of admission. I howled out loud when the mother discussed her obligations at the table. In L.A. Confidential, you had an almost perfect blend of action keeping pace with the dialog and acting. This movie is more uneven in its balance, but still delivers credible entertainment