Unoriginal and Bland: Lonely Hearts

Lonely Hearts
Directed by Todd Robinson
Released April 13, 2007

"Lonely Hearts" is the story of two cops in pursuit of a vicious pair of con artists who earn the nickname the "Lonely Hearts Killers." The story is interesting to be sure, but the film brings nothing new to the table. It is a generally unexciting hour and 48 minutes which feels dated, but not in a stylistic way, rather in a boring and trite fashion.

John Travolta gives a terribly unenthusiastic performance as deadbeat cop Elmer C. Robinson, the lead investigator on the Lonely Hearts Killers case whose family life is in serious trouble after the mysterious suicide of his wife. James Gandolfini gives a decent enough performance in a boring role as Robinson's partner Charles Hildebrandt. The killers themselves are less than convincing. Jared Leto is very jumpy and a bit over-the-top as Ray Fernandez, the seducer who cheats women out of their fortunes. Salma Hayek is awful, and often funny by accident, as Fernandez's partner-in-crime, Martha Beck. Scott Caan has an unimportant but occasionally entertaining performance as obnoxious cop Reilly. The film is not terribly worthwhile, but it is by no means a very bad film.

C