THE BLACK DAHLIA (2006) - ♦♦

Directed by - Brian De Palma

Written by - Josh Friedman (based on the novel by James Ellroy)

Starring - Josh Harnett, Scarlett Johansson, Aaron Eckhart, Hilary Swank

"The Black Dahlia is a film based on the novel by Ellroy which draws inspiration from one of the most notorious murders in the history of Hollywood; the murder of a wannabe actress. Two LAPD officers and boxers are assigned to the case. 

The multiple underlying stories do not gel and make the film seem slow and dull. This excess is echoed by the over-meticulousness of the visual style employed by filmmaker Brian De Palma, that gets very tiring and further prevents the story of the film from ever connecting with the viewer in any significant way, both as an intriguing potboiler or even emotionally as a drama. 

Its best aspects seem to have been taken right out of L.A. Confidential. There are dark elements to the film that arouse a certain level of interest in the storyline, as well as a nice accompanying sexual charge that runs throughout its duration. Overall, The Black Dahlia is a weak and underwhelming exercise in modern noir, that puts far too much attention on style over substance."

Noir, Germany/USA/France