The newest crime comedy written and directed by Richard Shepard, who previously did the very funny crime farces The Matador and The Hunting Party, features dynamite performances from Jude Law and Richard E Grant. Unfortunately, the film itself is a complete mess. This is simultaneously a half baked comedy in which nothing happens at all and a crime film that is completely overwhelming because too much is happening. This bizarre mixture might be best explained by the fact that Shepard is obviously struggling to make up his mind on what his intentions actually are here. By the time the end credits roll, Shepard makes it pretty clear that he still doesn't know. While letting the audience make up their minds about the title character might have worked the film is so utterly confusing to begin with, it simply can't work.
The film follows title character Dom Hemingway (Law,) who has just been released from prison after twelve years. Dom reunites with his old pal, Dickie (Grant), visits his old boss Mr. Fontaine (Demian Bichir), tries to reconnect with his estranged daughter, Evelyn (Emilia Clarke) and faces a bitter old foe (Nathan Stewart Jarrett of the television superhero comedy "Misfits".) All these plots could have worked together in a more comprehensive film but Shepard makes all of them into unnecessary ideas that come and go as he pleases.
Also, Dom is too much of a cartoon to make the audience believe he has any humanity to him, no matter how hard Shepard tries to convince us at the end. Law is great in the role but a lot of that is because of how unbelievably ridiculous his character is. To put some image in your mind of how dehumanized Dom is, the first scene features him describing how his private area is exactly like a Picasso painting. The second scene is Dom beating his wife's new lover almost to death directly after getting released from a long time in prison. It's alright to make a film about someone like this. However, Shepard makes the mistake of adding in forced sentimentality at the end as if he was only kidding at the beginning, which goes back to the fact that he had no way of making up his mind.
If someone went up to me ten minutes after I saw Dom Hemingway and asked me to give them an in depth plot summary, I wouldn't have been able to do it. This is not only due to the fact that the film is instantly forgettable but because the film doesn't really have a plot at all. It is a serious of undemanding but massively dull scenes that are strung together for no reason. Law, Grant, Bichir, Clarke and Stewart-Jarrett have all proven to be excellent actors in far better things. As well, Shepard's two films before this displays that he's obviously an extreme talent. I only hope all of these people go onto to do much better films.
(2 out of 5 Stars, The film is rated R for sexual content, nudity, pervasive language, some violence and drug use
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