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Lonely Hearts
Stars: John Travolta. James Gandolfini, Jared Leto, Salma Hayek, Scott Caan, Laura Dern. Michael Gaston, Alice Krige, Bruce MacVitie, Ellen Travolta, Sam Travolta, Christa Campbell, Dan Byrd, Andrew Wheeler, Dagmara Dominczyk, John Doman
Director: Todd Robinson
The basic narrative arc - a driven policeman sacrifices his personal life to bring killers to book is a patent cinema staple. Two elements of this gripping crime thriller differentiate it from other run-of-the-genre movies. First, its based on a true story in this case the hunt for serial slayers Raymond Fernandez and Martha Beck, the infamous Honeymoon Killers who carved their bloody swathe in 1940s USA. Second, the police protagonist Nassau County Detective Elmer C Robinson, played by Travolta, was writer-director Robinsons grandfather, giving the powerfully-told story a fascinating added dramatic dimension.
Robinson does a fine job, employing vividly recreated period detail (Peter Levys atmospheric cinematography, John Gary Steeles production design and Noir-ish narration by Gandolfini, playing Travoltas partner, are major assets) to add impact to his well-told story. Performances, too, are excellent. Travolta is far better than he was in his overrated comeback movie Pulp Fiction. Gandolfini, on the right side of the law for a change, is a convincing cop, and Leto, sporting a wig and a weedy seducers moustache, is excellent as the male half of the killer duo - while Hayek almost persuaded me she could act well.
Robinson doesnt pull his punches depicting the murders but, making a change from so many of todays exploitative movies, the pervasive sex sequences and graphic violence are justified by both the subject and its treatment.
Alan Frank
USA 2006. UK Distributor: Entertainment Film Distributors. Colour.
108 minutes. Widescreen. UK certificate: 15.
Guidance ratings (out of 3): Sex/nudity 2, Violence/Horror 3, Drugs 0, Swearing 2.
Review date: 26 Jul 2007