Film Review: The Salton Sea (2002)

Methamphetamines differ from other forms of hard drugs because they are supposed to be easily made at home, thus removing need for the users to rely on organised crime for supply. Sadly, this theory was never proven in practice and much darker reality serves as the basis for The Salton Sea, 2002 crime thriller directed by D. J. Caruso.

Protagonist, played by Val Kilmer, is Danny Parker is a man who has spent last year of his life hanging out with “speed freaks” from Los Angeles underworld, gradually becoming one of them. Some of the information gathered he has shared with police detectives Gus Morgan (played by Doug Hutchinson) and Al Garcetti (played by Anthony LaPaglia) whom he helped with taking down number of major dealers. Some of them want retribution, so Danny decides to leave Los Angeles. With the help of his friend Jimmy the Finn (played by Peter Sarsgaard) he plans to set up a big deal – purchase of large amount of drugs by Pooh Bear (played by Vincent d’Onofrio), major dealer who, because of too much snorting, lost not only his nose but also large part of his sanity. Danny soon realises that he is followed by mysterious car, while remembering his past life when he used to be jazz musician and had beautiful wife. But, thanks to so much drugs he has consumed recently, Danny isn’t certain whether his past life is product of his imagination, whether he is indeed followed and whether his true name is really Danny.

Script by Tony Gayton delivers rather conventional story, but it is given uncoventional treatment by director D. J. Caruso in his feature debut. This can be seen in the opening scene featuring protagonist sitting on ground and playing trumpet while fire engulfs room around him. What follows is series of flashbacks, voice over in style of film noir and an interesting attempt to familiarise “normie” audience with strange world of methamphetamine and its addicts. Many would be prone to describe The Salton Sea as some sort of surreal mix of earlier films like Memento, Trainspotting, Pulp Fiction and L. A. Confidential. Yet, despite that The Salton Sea will represent disappointment due to conventional, predictable and hasty deus ex machina ending. Many of “cool” elements of the film seems artificially inserted in the plot, some subplots (like the one dealing with Danny’s family) aren’t used enough, while others (like Danny’s neighbour played by Deborah Kara Unger) aren’t necessary. What rescues this film is excellent acting. Val Kilmer, after relatively long pause, returned to big screen and did impressive job, also some might look at his character as too similar to Guy Pearce’s in Memento. Kilmer is overshadowed by most of his colleagues, especially Vincent d’Onofrio who, for the sake of his role gained excessive weight and carefully studied how people without nose talked. Although The Salton Sea looks like a mere reflection of much better film, it has couple of interesting scenes that would justify audience’s attention.

RATING: 6/10 (++)

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