dot the i
---------
Kit (Gael García Bernal, "The Motorcycle Diaries") and his buddies Tom (Tom
Hardy, "Black Hawk Down") and Theo (Charlie Cox) are engrossed with their
video camera as they enter a tony restaurant. When the Maitre D' asks if
they would mind sharing a table, Kit's delighted to see that a group of
pretty young women, all wearing black wigs and moustaches, will be their
dining companions. Tom ventures that they're a group of lesbians, but once
again the Maitre D' steps in, announcing that they are a hen party and the
bride to be must follow the French custom of kissing the man of her choice
as a goodbye to the single life. Carmen (Natalia Verbeke, "Jump Tomorrow")
chooses Kit in more ways than one "dot the i."
Writer/director Matthew Parkhill, a novelist, makes his film debut with
this gimmicky love triangle. This amateurish film has a few moments and
features attractive stars, but Parkhill has stretched himself thin
attempting both screenplay and direction. Coincidentally, the film's
opening credits, shown over homevid of star Verbeke, play to the song
"Perhaps," which was Bernal's drag show number in "Bad Education."
The movie opens with Barnaby (James D'Arcy, "Master and Commander")
proposing 'cute' to Carmen, using an onion ring from the dinner he's
preparing. After the restaurant kiss with Kit, though, Carmen obviously
never felt passion for her fiance, but insists that she loves and wants to
marry him. Kit persists, however, but after he wins her on her wedding
night, Carmen returns later with news so shocking, Kit is forced to reveal
a lie which he has manipulated her with. Suddenly, everyone is like one of
the chess pieces Barnaby has been moving around his board.
Parkhill mistakes manic running around (artlessly cut together by editor
Jon Harris, "Snatch") and noisy flash dissolves for energy. He directs his
actors in service to the plot, not their characters. Natalia Verbeke has
nice screen presence, particularly performing a fiery flamenco, but no
chemistry with either of her costars. Bernal is actually bland, his
director gradually stranding him until he has no place to go. D'Arcy serves
up ham with relish in one transitional scene, enjoying himself so much he
brings us along for a brief ride. Hardy and Cox are amusing sidekicks
playing characters who seem to have been dropped in from a Kevin Smith
flick. Production design is drab and there is little sense of place in
this London based film.
"dot the i" (the title refers to some type of Latin word game based on the
word love) is an okay enough exercise, but has no emotional reverb.
Parkhill shows the enthusiasm of a film school student too intent on being
clever. Maturity may make him a talent to watch.
C
For more Reeling reviews visit http://www.reelingreviews.com
========== X-RAMR-ID: 39592 X-Language: en X-RT-ReviewID: 1370778 X-RT-TitleID: 10002339 X-RT-SourceID: 386 X-RT-AuthorID: 1487 X-RT-RatingText: C
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