A Summit Entertainment presentation in association with Alquimia Cinema of an Arcane Pictures, Summit Entertainment production. Produced by Meg Thomson, George Duffield. Executive producers, David Garrett, Bob Hayward, Patrick Wachsberger, Erik Feig, Francisco Ramos. Directed, written by Matthew Parkhill.
Kit - Gael Garcia Bernal
Carmen - Natalia Verbeke
Barnaby - James D'Arcy
Tom - Tom Hardy
Theo - Charlie Cox
Debuting director Matthew Parkhill's experience in commercials is evident in the flashy aesthetic of "dot the i." But behind its slick veneer and the glibness of its preposterous premise and dark twists, there's a yawning absence of charm or substance in this London-set love triangle, as well as a lack of chemistry between its three leads. For a film about the fabrication and manipulation of reality as a cruel game for personal profit, this perhaps appropriately feels like a coldly artificial and gratingly show-offy exercise destined for modest commercial gains.
Spanish flamenco dancer Carmen (Natalia Verbeke) is preparing to marry well heeled but dull Brit Barnaby (James D'Arcy). During her "hen night" at a French restaurant, Gallic tradition dictates she must bid farewell to singledom by choosing a man from those present for one final kiss. She picks out-of-work Brazilian actor Kit (Gael Garcia Bernal), and the earth moves for both of them.
While she's irresistibly drawn to the passion and spontaneity offered by Kit, Carmen goes through with the marriage, seeking stability and protection from her troubled past. But Barnaby's priggishness soon drives her into Kit's bed, provoking a drastic reaction from her betrayed husband.
However, appearances are not what they seem, and the story's layers are peeled back to reveal an elaborate sex-lies-and-videotape scenario of deceit, ingenuousness, remorse and self-serving artistic ambition.
Parkhill shows little skill with the actors, who generate no warmth or sympathy and struggle to make their poorly developed characters real. Talented Mexican thesp Bernal ("Amores perros," "Y tu mama tambien") shows a comfortable command of the language in his first English-speaking role, but fares hardly better than his co-stars. Verbeke is particularly wooden, while D'Arcy improves upon revealing his character's contemptible true colors.
While the reasons behind certain aspects of Parkhill's scripting become clear after mid-action revelations, the writer-director displays no ear for natural dialogue and fails to lay a foundation of reality for his high-concept plot, unfolding in a London that feels artificial.
The action justifies frequent use of digital video cameras, allowing Parkhill and accomplished lenser Affonso Beato to mix up the visual texture. But while there's plenty of energy in the film's look, there's no fully developed visual style in evidence, and certainly nothing to match the same d.p.'s ravishing work with Pedro Almodovar. Fast editing, a pumped-up sound mix and a busy, grab-bag music track add to the operation's tiresome brashness.
Camera (Technicolor), Affonso Beato; editor, Jon Harris; music, Javier Navarrete; production designer, Tom Burton; art director, Fleur Whitlock; set decorator, Barbara Herman-Skelding; costume designer, Louise Stjernsward; sound (Dolby Digital), Antonio Bloch; line producer, Mairi Bett; associate producer, Gill Holland; assistant director, Max Keene; casting, Kate Rhodes James. Reviewed at Sundance Film Festival (Premieres), Jan. 19, 2003. Running time: 92 MIN.
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