Review of The Salton Sea

The Salton Sea commences in classic neo noir fashion, camera looking down at a man slumped upon the floor of a burning room, his mournful notes dancing in the air amidst charring money, wearied voice over inviting the audience to make their own mind up as to the events that led to this pretty pass. By and by the film enters less into the expected machinations of love, money and deceit, but a story of a sad man and his life among the terminally addicted, a milieu rather well evoked. Where all too many films about drugs mist along in glum pointlessness, bask in dumb revelry or wallow in bathos The Salton Sea gets things rather right, stylised for sure but in the aid of a well handled mood, endless days of sunless light, warmth of hazy friendship, excitable chatter and mad ideas. Its pleasing stuff, quirky and sympathetic drama tinged with offbeat humour and ever laced through with disturbing undercurrents of danger, with an eclectic cast handling their roles well. Much of the film is really pretty swell actually, which makes the final block all the more of a let down when the plot comes together. Though well executed things come together in regrettably typical fashion, eschewing the potential for thoughtful and interesting fusion of noir elements and drugged out characters, its fun in its quirky and violent fashion but a bit of a let down really. Still, assured direction from DJ Caruso (who appears not to have made anything worthwhile since) and plenty of good turns keep the film afloat. Val Kilmer is powerfully haunted as the hero with dark secrets and darker past, his star power subsumed into a pretty interesting character. Vincent D'Onofrio is an unhinged blast as a dealer with a fake nose, Deborah Kara Unger well worn and wearied as a beleaguered neighbour, Peter Saarsgard brings light as a friendly addict, Anthony LaPaglia and Doug Hutchison are hard nosed cops and there's even a nice restrained R. Lee Ermey cameo. A fine mixture, and they gel well together making for a smooth, interesting ride. With a better ending this could almost be a minor modern favorite of mine, but as it stands is merely pretty darned decent. Strong 7/10 from me, worth a look.