MovieChat Forums > Ask the Dust (2006) Discussion > For The Love Of God, Read The Book First...

For The Love Of God, Read The Book First!

posted 17 years ago by DSampson612
9 replies | jump to latest

"Ask The Dust" was one of my favorite books. Ever. It's compelling, it's relatable, and it's a real page-turner. Finished it in like a day. Fante has the most beautiful and moving grasp of the English language that a reader could want.
So what went wrong? Why did this movie suck so horribly?
Granted, it was one of Colin Farrell's better performances, but think it through; that's like picking the best film to feature an American Idol winner. And Selma gave probably the best performance of the film, which was forgettable at best. The cinematography was pretty stale and the most important and moving portions of the book were left out of the script.
As a huge Fante fan, I was really disappointed by the film, and was really glad I'd read the book first, as the other way around would've kept me from an awesome work of fiction. Read the book first. For God's sake. Read. The. Book. First. (And, come to think of it, read the book and skip the crappy film adaptation).

Any other Fante fans real disappointed with this trash?

[–] fabysalop68 17 years ago

I think Colin did the best he could , he was brilliant , his best performance until know. He was arrogant , sweet and vulnerable , in the first part when they stick to the book and dialogue the performances are stronger and more powerful , but after the scene when they fight (which has the intensity of the book) the movie mantains flat and conventional.

But what i hate most about the movie is that Towne softened the characters , Arturo was not so arrogant as in the book , Camila was more glamorous in the movie. Arturo Bandini sweet? and going out on a date with Camila? was really funny. When he teaches her to read in english , i was like What the hell was Towne thinking?, of course Colin was great , and has the ability to be arrogant and 10 seconds laters the sweetest man but it was a waste of talent.

I think Towne didn´t like the characters at all, he liked the fact the book was about LA of 1930´s when he was a boy.

The scene in which the got drunk was one of the best scenes of the book , Towne should include that scene.

i didn´t like the scene at the beach , it was abrupt and vulgar, in the book it was more dramatic and passionate. But it was like Towne only wanted to show Salma´s body to get more attention.

I think what saved the movie or al least keep it interesting was the performances: Colin, Salma , Idina , the chemistry between the main characters
and because Colin is the cutest and sexiest actor of his generation.

[–] truly84 16 years ago

Depp would have given the movie another personality. Wish he did it.

[–] flo116 16 years ago

Oh yes, I compare the actor in most movies I see to JD, Oh I wish Johnny had played that part. But he can't do all of them... He could but it is physically impossible. I wanted to see Ask the Dust when it was first released but didn't get to, now I am not certain I want to after reading most of the reviews. But I will I keep trying to like Colin but most of his movies I just can't like.

Johnny, You light up my life

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] sigu828 16 years ago

I didn't read the book and i am quite disappointed by the film. it's totally pointless and confusing, even with good cinematics and brilliant performances. I guess the director is to blame?

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] ReinaMissy 16 years ago

I couldn't disagree more.

I found the two characters to be highly unlikable in the book; what I thought both Colin and Salma accomplished on screen was bringing further dimensions to them that Fante never explored (except through inference).

This is one of those rare cases ("The Milagro Beanfield War" being one) where the film is just as good, albeit in a different way, as the novel.

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Delirium-Tremens 16 years ago

Consider me convinced, thanks.