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LONELY HEARTS tries very hard to evoke the feeling of the 1940s and the troubled police officer whose wife's suicide haunts him until he finds revenge in the investigation of a pair of lonely hearts scam artists. But what happens for the most part is a story that looks, sounds and fells like a 1940s crime movie - 3 parts celluloid transfer, 1 part story. John Travolta and James Gandolfini play buddy homicide detectives who overcome the ennui of their job when they begin to investigate the multiple murders of 'lonely women' who fall prey to snappy con artist men. The pair they are chasing are Ray Fernandez (Jared Leto) and his partner in crime Martha Beck (Salma Hayek), a diabolical couple who find their victims through the personal ads and then fleece then murder them victims in heinous ways. Todd Robinson wrote and directed the film based on his grandfather's experience - Elmer C. Robinson (Travolta) - and it is this bit of personal touch that makes the sluggish story work. The capable supporting cast includes such solid actors as Laura Dern and Scott Cain with fine cameos by Alice Krige and Dagmara Dominczyk, playing victims. Hayek and Leto muster a chemistry on the screen that, while strange in type, allows the viewer to understand the motivation of the crimes. It is a solid cast and a good story: it just seems more derivative of old movies than a film with original thought.Read full review
I was really surprised by this movie---I'd seen the first movie treatment of this story (THE HONEYMOON KILLERS, 1970)and doubted that anyone could make a better movie than that. But LONELY HEARTS was quite different and just as authentic and interesting. It's greatest strengths are the attention to period detail and the backstory of the Police involved in the case (who never appear at all in HONEYMOON KILLERS). It's really the cops' story, and James Gandolfini and John Travolta are used just as they should be in this movie, and that's the best part of it. Best of all, the use of color, period detail, and the cops' interesting characters set the mood for this mystery, a very different experience than the black and white "cinema-verite" look of HONEYMOON KILLERS.
This is a remake of The Honeymoon Killers which is on Criterion. I enjoyed this one also but they are different. I thought Salma too gorgeous for the title roll but she did a good job. I recommend seeing both. They are a very famous serial killing team.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
The acting in this movie was outstanding but how could it not be with such a good cast: John Travolta, James Gandolfini, Jared Leto, and Selma Hayek. It offered humor, mystery, and suspense. I'm not sure how accurately it followed the true story but it was very entertaining. If you like 50's detective dramas you would love this movie. I will forever be a little scared of Selma Hayek after watching this movie, she was crazy. The only thing I didn't like was Jared Leto's hair but it was for authenticity's sake so I guess it's OK. I would definitely recommend this movie to anyone....who's over the age of 17 of course.
I rented this movie on Netflix and it was sad true crime that two people so sick and twisted killed out of love for each other it was sad true story it made history
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
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