Daily Archives: May 14, 2002

The Salton Sea

It’s been more than a while since I’ve seen this, but I’m more grateful than sorry that I don’t remember it well. Drug thrillers and revenge plots bore me, and producer Frank Darabont, writer Tony Gayton, and director D.J. Caruso couldn’t convince me to make this an exception. Val Kilmer plays a jazz musician who penetrates the crystal meth underworld to avenge the death of his wife (Chandra West) and give the filmmakers lots of opportunities for neonoir artiness. But the biggest show-off here is Vincent D’Onofrio as a deranged, sadistic, noseless drug baron named Pooh-Bear. Oh God, I’m starting to remember! Some of the more familiar faces include Peter Sarsgaard, Deborah Kara Unger, Anthony LaPaglia, Doug Hutchison, Adam Goldberg, Meat Loaf, and Luis Guzman. 103 min. (JR) Read more