Domino

by Joe Barber on Nov.02, 2005, under Joe Barber's Movie Reviews

It was once said of British director Ken Russell (whose films included “The Music Lovers”, “Liisdtzomania” and “The Who’s ‘Tommy’ “) that, based on his filmmaking style, he obviously owned a dictionary missing the word “excess”.
After watching director Tony Scott’s latest film, “Domino”, it’s clear there are several entries missing from his Webster’s-or Oxford-as well.
Words such as “overdone”, ’subtle”, “unrealistic” and “wasted opportunity”
apparently didn’t register with Scott when it comes to this mess of a movie which opens in area theaters Friday.

Too bad, because the basic story behind this film was an interesting one.
Domino Harvey was the daughter of acclaimed actor Laurence Harvey. He starred in such films as “The Manchurian Candidate”, “Room At the Top” and “The Alamo”. He died suddenly of a heart attack in the early 1970’s, while Domino was still a child.

While her mother sought a wealthy husband in Los Angeles, Domino grew bored with the glamorous California lifestyle. She dropped out of Beverly Hills High and became a model. During that time, she fell into a life of drugs and free and easy sex. While sitting on a park bench one day, she came upon an ad for a lecture on how to become a bounty hunter. Intrigued, she attended and jumped, feet first, into the business. She and her team quickly became one of the best units in the business.

If Scott had stuck to this story, he could have produced a gritty, energetic fish out of water story. He was already ahead of the game, thanks to his very talented cast, headed by British actress Kira Nightly as Domino. She brings a toughness and ironic sense of humor to the role that keeps your eyes locked on her every moment she’s on screen. She surrounded by fine actors in small roles, such as Delroy Lindo, Jacqueline Bisset, Dabney Coleman and Christopher Walken.

But Scott burries the movie in oversaturated colors, loud and abrasive rap music, ear-splitting gunfire and a time shifting stroryline that keeps you wondering where you are thgroughout the movie. When Scott has a strong cast and script, as he did in “Crimson Tide”, those elements (and some self
restraint) can make for first class filmmaking. Here, the overblown sub plot, which seems stolen from “Godfather III” and the overblown atmospherics make the movie a train weck.

All due respect to the lovely and talented Ms. Knightly, she can make reading the phone book interesting on-screen, but she’s badly betrrayed here. Simply put, “Domino” comes up snake eyes.
~Joe Barber

MPAA RATING: R for profanity, graphic violence, breif nudity and sexual situations JOE’S RATING:ONE STAR.