COEURS PERDUES (LONELY HEARTS)

http://www.millenniumfilms.com/lonelyhearts/
plot : I'd kill for you, darling.
thought : Might've made a better comedy.

Here's a movie whose "mauvais" French opening was well predicted by its forgettable American one. And with a cast that shimmers (John Travolta, Salma Hayek, Jared Leto, James Gandolfini) and an intriguing plot (married couple in the roaring '20s high tails it across the American southwest on a lonely hearts--read : pretty, young spinsters--killing spree with brooding detective on their scent), you really just don't immediately see why. So I went to see it to try and figure that out.

Perhaps it was due to miscasting. Jared Leto, I've always warmed to (note especially his hilarious super-agent bit role in THANK YOU FOR SMOKING...oh whoops, wait, that was Rob Lowe). But in this film, he seems to be trying to channel Leonardo DiCaprio circa CATCH ME IF YOU CAN. And Leo is a great role model, but if you wanted Leo in the film, you should have cast Leo. Then there's Johnny. Brooding John Travolta is SO not as fun as John Travolta dressed as a woman (HAIRSPRAY comes out 22 august !) . He was sadly disappointing. Wait a minute, now that I think about it, this movie was sadly depressing. But still. Why don't people flock to see Travolta these days ? Doesn't a giant live forever ? Or is that just ogres.... People still come out for Al Pacino, don't they ? DON'T THEY ? (see soon-to-be remarkable flop 88 MINUTES for reference)

By the way, must add, Salma Hayek ? No complaints, Ugly Betty.

Overall rating : 2.5/5