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Ask the Dust

Play trailer Poster for Ask the Dust R Released Mar 10, 2006 1h 57m Romance Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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36% Tomatometer 101 Reviews 41% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
Arturo Bandini (Colin Farrell) is a writer who moves from Colorado to Los Angeles with aspirations of completing a great novel. There he meets bold Mexican waitress Camilla (Salma Hayek). She wants to live a better life and thinks marrying for money may be her answer. Arturo, who tries to project a confidence that he is inwardly lacking, initially acts coldly toward Camilla. Despite not seeming like a viable match, a romance gradually develops between the two.
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Ask the Dust

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Critics Consensus

Though Hayek is luminous, Farrell seems miscast, and the film fails to capture the gritty, lively edginess of the book upon which it's based.

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Critics Reviews

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Edward Lawrenson Time Out Although Chinatown writer Towne lovingly depicts the Depression-era LA setting (actually shot in South Africa), the film misfires. Jun 24, 2006 Full Review Peter Bradshaw Guardian It is a odd-sounding, odd-looking piece of work, not uninteresting by any means, but there is something a little forced in both lead performances. Rated: 2/5 Jun 3, 2006 Full Review Kim Newman Empire Magazine The upshot is a careful, deliberately old-fashioned picture which has many admirable qualities. Rated: 3/5 Jun 2, 2006 Full Review Fernando F. Croce CinePassion Airless, joyless Aug 30, 2009 Full Review Brian Webster Apollo Guide Donald Sutherland saunters onscreen, momentarily raising the level of the film, before he ambles back out the door and things sink back down to the listless and pointless pace that typifies this jumbled mess of a movie. Rated: 62/100 Apr 19, 2007 Full Review Frank Lovece Film Journal International Supporting characters float in and disappear without rhyme, reason or resolution. Feb 6, 2007 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Munkhchimeg T Well mannered and good atmosphere. Peaceful movie Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/10/24 Full Review Bahad j The director has once again managed to make a wonderful movie with good people. I liked it very much. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/10/24 Full Review Audience Member Directed by Robert Towne(Chinatown) Ask the dusk is an interesting noir film hoisted by some great atmosphere and cinematography. With Ask the Dust, Towne has not given us the great American love story, but he has presented us with a captivating view of 1933 Los Angeles and a tale of romance that involves us in the plight of the characters. Despite a "noir" feel to the proceedings, this picture is a love story as mentioned. There are other things going on, some of which get short shrift in the screenplay, but at the center of the narrative are a man and a woman who are destined for each other. Perhaps it's because of my familiarity with Chinatown, but there's an almost noir feel to Ask the Dust which is belied by its subject matter. The seeming contradiction between tone and content is not a detriment, however - it lends a layer of unpredictability to the story. If you are a fan of noir cinema Ask the dust won't disappoint. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/28/23 Full Review Audience Member The book is much better then the movie. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 03/07/19 Full Review Audience Member Slow and stupid. Didn’t finish Rated 1 out of 5 stars 12/12/18 Full Review Audience Member Writing comes in many forms, some are prettier and harder to nail down than others. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/21/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Ask the Dust

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Cast & Crew

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Robert Towne

Director

Colin Farrell

Arturo Bandini

Salma Hayek

Camilla

Donald Sutherland

Hellfrick

Idina Menzel

Vera

William Mapother

Bill

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Ask the Dust

Ask the Dust (2006) Ask the Dust (2006) Ask the Dust (2006) Ask the Dust (2006) Ask the Dust (2006) (L-R) Salma Hayek as Camilla and Colin Farrell as Arturo in "Ask the Dust." View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Arturo Bandini (Colin Farrell) is a writer who moves from Colorado to Los Angeles with aspirations of completing a great novel. There he meets bold Mexican waitress Camilla (Salma Hayek). She wants to live a better life and thinks marrying for money may be her answer. Arturo, who tries to project a confidence that he is inwardly lacking, initially acts coldly toward Camilla. Despite not seeming like a viable match, a romance gradually develops between the two.
Director
Robert Towne
Producer
Tom Cruise, Paula Wagner, Jonas McCord
Screenwriter
Robert Towne
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
Production Co
Paramount Pictures, Cruise-Wagner Productions, Capitol Films
Rating
R (Nudity|Language|Some Sexuality)
Genre
Romance, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 10, 2006, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Jun 15, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA)
$742.6K
Runtime
1h 57m
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