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Ask the Dust

Play trailer Poster for Ask the Dust R 2006 1h 57m Romance Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist 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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Ask the Dust

Ask the Dust

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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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Critics Reviews

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Edward Lawrenson Time Out 06/24/2006
Although Chinatown writer Towne lovingly depicts the Depression-era LA setting (actually shot in South Africa), the film misfires. Go to Full Review Peter Bradshaw Guardian 06/03/2006
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. Go to Full Review Kim Newman Empire Magazine 06/02/2006
3/5
The upshot is a careful, deliberately old-fashioned picture which has many admirable qualities. Go to Full Review Fernando F. Croce CinePassion 08/30/2009
Airless, joyless Go to Full Review Brian Webster Apollo Guide 04/19/2007
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. Go to Full Review Frank Lovece Film Journal International 02/06/2007
Supporting characters float in and disappear without rhyme, reason or resolution. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Dani G @RT81139271 06/14/2025 Oh my... this was really dull. See more Munkhchimeg T @RT64187897 08/10/2024 Well mannered and good atmosphere. Peaceful movie See more Bahad j @RT27093708 08/10/2024 The director has once again managed to make a wonderful movie with good people. I liked it very much. See more 12/12/2019 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. See more 03/07/2019 The book is much better then the movie. See more 12/12/2018 Slow and stupid. Didn’t finish See more Read all reviews
Ask the Dust

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Cast & Crew

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Robert Towne

Director

Colin Farrell

Arturo Bandini

Salma Hayek

Camilla

Donald Sutherland

Hellfrick

Idina Menzel

Vera

William Mapother

Bill

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Ask the Dust

Ask the Dust (2006) Ask the Dust (2006) Ask the Dust (2006) (L-R) Salma Hayek as Camilla and Colin Farrell as Arturo in "Ask the Dust." (L-R) Salma Hayek as Camilla and Colin Farrell as Arturo in "Ask the Dust." Salma Hayek as Camilla in "Ask the Dust." Donald Sutherland as Hellfrick in "Ask the Dust." Colin Farrell as Arturo in "Ask the Dust." (L-R) Salma Hayek as Camilla and Colin Farrell as Arturo in "Ask the Dust." View more photos

Movie Info

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