Ask the Dust

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Ask the Dust

R

2006

1h 57m

Romance

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

36%

Tomatometer

101 Reviews

41%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

Arturo Bandini is a writer who moves from Colorado to Los Angeles with aspirations of completing a great novel. There he meets bold Mexican waitress Camilla. She wants to live a better life and thinks marrying for money may be her answer. Arturo, who tries to project a confidence that he is inwardly lacking, initially acts coldly toward Camilla. Despite not seeming like a viable match, a romance gradually develops between the two.

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Critics Consensus

Though Hayek is luminous, Farrell seems miscast, and the film fails to capture the gritty, lively edginess of the book upon which it's based.

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Edward Lawrenson

Time Out

Jun 24, 2006

Although Chinatown writer Towne lovingly depicts the Depression-era LA setting (actually shot in South Africa), the film misfires.

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Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

Jun 3, 2006

2/5

It is a odd-sounding, odd-looking piece of work, not uninteresting by any means, but there is something a little forced in both lead performances.

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Kim Newman

Empire Magazine

Jun 2, 2006

3/5

The upshot is a careful, deliberately old-fashioned picture which has many admirable qualities.

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Fernando F. Croce

CinePassion

Aug 30, 2009

Airless, joyless

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Brian Webster

Apollo Guide

Apr 19, 2007

62/100

Donald Sutherland saunters onscreen, momentarily raising the level of the film, before he ambles back out the door and things sink back down to the listless and pointless pace that typifies this jumbled mess of a movie.

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Frank Lovece

Film Journal International

Feb 6, 2007

Supporting characters float in and disappear without rhyme, reason or resolution.

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Dani G

@RT81139271 Jun 14, 2025

Oh my... this was really dull.

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Munkhchimeg T

@RT64187897 Aug 10, 2024

Well mannered and good atmosphere. Peaceful movie

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Bahad j

@RT27093708 Aug 10, 2024

The director has once again managed to make a wonderful movie with good people. I liked it very much.

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Dec 12, 2019

Directed by Robert Towne(Chinatown) Ask the dusk is an interesting noir film hoisted by some great atmosphere and cinematography. With Ask the Dust, Towne has not given us the great American love story, but he has presented us with a captivating view of 1933 Los Angeles and a tale of romance that involves us in the plight of the characters. Despite a "noir" feel to the proceedings, this picture is a love story as mentioned. There are other things going on, some of which get short shrift in the screenplay, but at the center of the narrative are a man and a woman who are destined for each other. Perhaps it's because of my familiarity with Chinatown, but there's an almost noir feel to Ask the Dust which is belied by its subject matter. The seeming contradiction between tone and content is not a detriment, however - it lends a layer of unpredictability to the story. If you are a fan of noir cinema Ask the dust won't disappoint.

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Mar 7, 2019

The book is much better then the movie.

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Dec 12, 2018

Slow and stupid. Didn’t finish

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Robert Towne

Director

Colin Farrell

Arturo Bandini

Salma Hayek

Camilla

Donald Sutherland

Hellfrick

Idina Menzel

Vera

William Mapother

Bill

Ask the Dust: Official Clip - Would You Say Please?

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Synopsis

Arturo Bandini is a writer who moves from Colorado to Los Angeles with aspirations of completing a great novel. There he meets bold Mexican waitress Camilla. She wants to live a better life and thinks marrying for money may be her answer. Arturo, who tries to project a confidence that he is inwardly lacking, initially acts coldly toward Camilla. Despite not seeming like a viable match, a romance gradually develops between the two.

Director: Robert Towne
Producer: Tom Cruise, Paula Wagner, Jonas McCord
Screenwriter: Robert Towne
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Paramount Pictures, Cruise-Wagner Productions, Capitol Films
Rating: R (Nudity|Language|Some Sexuality)
Genre: Romance, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 10, 2006, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 15, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA): $742.6K
Runtime: 1h 57m

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