Review of Domino (1982) by Doctor S — 08 May 2013

"Now why would a delicate thing like you want to be a goddam bounty hunter??".

"I want to have some fun.".

Ultraslick, aggrandized biopic of model-turned-bounty-hunter Domino Harvey ranks among Tony Scott's more entertaining features. Wispy Keira Knightley convincingly grabs the spotlight in this brutish man's world with a brash & sexy portrayal through curled lip, icy tongue, and low-riding jeans. Mickey Rourke is also great as her boss & mentor. The screenplay focuses mainly on one job gone very wrong involving an armored car robbery, a reality TV show, the mafia, multiple cons, and a little girl's prohibitively expensive operation.

I liked how the movie is introduced as being "Based On A True Story. Sort Of." At least they are honest about taking liberties when their main aim is to entertain an audience. I loved the merciless ridicule of bygone TV show Beverly Hills 90210 and my favorite moment of the movie occurs when Knightley punches Brian Austin Green in the face, breaking his nose. Now that's worth standing up and cheering! On the downside, you get an extra caffeinated dose of Tony Scott's seizure-inducing editing, and the outrageous finale blows up any shred of believability. The opening titles are really nifty, and so are the closing credits with a cool surprise. All the actors are recounted with only their first names, which makes us wonder why, then we are introduced to the real Domino. She died shortly after the film was completed and it is dedicated to her.

"If you want to know what's the truth and what isn't, you can fuck off because it isn't any of your goddam business.".