DOMINO (U.S. / 2005)

NY Times' chief-critic Manohla Dargis, one of only two major U.S. critics to positively review Tony Scotts Domino, wrote in her review that "it is tough to pinpoint the precise moment when [the film] ceases being just another guns-and-poses divertissement and becomes a lollapalooza of delectable cheap thrills." Actually, it's difficult to find a moment when it isn't both. Dominos title card reads: "Based on a true story... sort of." The "sort of" part was perhaps added after the films real life subject, Domino Harvey, died of a drug overdose a few months before the film's release. She was infamous for rejecting her privileged lifestyle -- as a daughter of actor Laurence Harvey and model Paulene Stone -- to become an L.A. bounty hunter. A sizzling Keira Knightley, whos perhaps still trying to shed the good-girl image, plays Domino with a kick-ass bravado that certainly would've made her proud. Scott is up to his old tricks, however, as he flies through Dominos backstory after we watch her square off with an FBI agent (Lucy Liu). Then the filmmaker tries to "True Romance" Domino, but he isnt working with Tarantino here. Instead, he has Richard Kelly from the now overrated Donnie Darko (2001) who almost tries to write himself into the convoluted script. And thats a shame because at times the film not only relegates its titular character to the background, but also the likes of Mickey Rourke (Dominos bounty hunting partner and an avid porn connoisseur) and Christopher Walken (an obsessive reality TV producer). There aren't many shots in Domino that last more than a second, so if one typically enjoys getting their brains @#%$-out, then they just might fall in love with this film. I was happy with an orgasm.

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*Available on DVD in the U.S. (New Line).