dot the i

dot the i
dot the i
Directed by Matthew Parkhill
Produced by George Duffield
Meg Thomson
Written by Matthew Parkhill
Starring Gael García Bernal
Natalia Verbeke
James D'Arcy
Tom Hardy
Charlie Cox
Music by Javier Navarrete
Cinematography Affonso Beato
Editing by Jon Harris
Studio Alquimia Cinema
Arcane Pictures
Summit Entertainment
Distributed by Artisan Entertainment
Release date(s) Sundance Film Festival
January 18, 2003 (2003-01-18)
Spain
02003-10-31 October 31, 2003
United States
02005-03-11 March 11, 2005
Running time 92 minutes
Country United Kingdom
Spain
United States
Language English
Box office $306,224

dot the i is a 2003 psychological thriller starring Gael García Bernal, Natalia Verbeke, and James D'Arcy. It was written and directed by Matthew Parkhill.

Contents

Plot

Carmen, a young Spanish woman who is engaged to be married, has her hen's night at a French restaurant in London. She is invited to participate in the observance of an old custom which allows her to kiss the stranger of her choice before the marriage - symbolically "kissing her single life goodbye" and bringing luck for the future. The man she chooses is Kit and both enjoy the kiss far more than they have intended. They fall in love, which creates a "love triangle" among Carmen, her fiancé Barnaby, and Kit.

What initially appears to be a typical urban love story begins to take some surprising and dark twists. In the third act, it is revealed that the circumstances have been arranged in order to create an "emotional snuff film". Unbeknownst to Carmen, she has been cast as the female lead in this endeavor. Barnaby has hired Kit to play a part in the deception, but has misled him by neglecting to mention that he himself, the director, will take on the role of Carmen's fiancé (Kit believing that the couple know nothing of the film). Barnaby is apparently unscrupulous, as he actually marries Carmen for the sake of the film and later fakes a violent suicide (his motive being that Carmen will never love him as she does Kit). In a state of shock, she returns to Kit, who is also horrified, guilty--and, never having met the husband, still in the dark as to the true identity of a man he knows only as "Ford." He admits to Carmen that he has been paid by a man to seduce her for a film, and that he regrets it immensely.

Barnaby, whom Kit recognizes as his employer, suddenly appears, offering Kit his final pay and removing camera equipment he previously has concealed in the actor's bedsit without his knowledge. With contemptible satisfaction, he unravels his entire plan to the shocked, broken pair and bitterly ridicules them before leaving.

Several months later, as the film is about to open, Barnaby appears to have won Carmen back. For a ceremony during which he is to accept a filmmakers' award, he engineers a publicity stunt by which it appears that Kit will have the ultimate revenge. However, Carmen takes advantage of the opportunity to do in her manipulative husband for real while framing his business partners for murder. Tragedy generates sensation and, while its clueless producers await trial, the film enjoys a big opening at which Carmen and Kit arrive in style, together.

Cast

  • Gael García Bernal as Kit Winter - a Brazilian actor living in London, England
  • Natalia Verbeke as Carmen Colazzo - a Spaniard who is engaged to Barnaby, but is attracted to Kit
  • James D'Arcy as Barnaby F. Caspian - an English film director

Reception

Most American critics did not appreciate the bait and switch approach the film took, calling its twist ending "implausible" and "gimmicky."[1] Even Roger Ebert, who was one of the few admirers of Dot the i, said of it "we walk out of the theater with perplexing questions about motives, means, access and techniques."[2] The film got an extremely limited release and only grossed about $300,000 in the United States.[3]

See also

References

  1. ^ http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/dot_the_i/
  2. ^ http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050414/REVIEWS/50324001/1023
  3. ^ http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=dotthei.htm

External links


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Dot the i — Infobox Film name = dot the i image size = caption = director = Matthew Parkhill producer = George Duffield Meg Thomson writer = Matthew Parkhill starring = Gael García Bernal Natalia Verbeke James D Arcy Tom Hardy music = Javier Navarrete… …   Wikipedia

  • dot the i's and cross the t's — dot the i’s and cross the t’s phrase to finish the final details in something such as a plan or contract Thesaurus: to finish somethingsynonym to kill a person or animalsynonym Main entry: dot * * * I …   Useful english dictionary

  • dot the i's and cross the t's — ► dot the i s and cross the t s informal ensure that all details are correct. Main Entry: ↑dot …   English terms dictionary

  • dot the i's and cross the t's — dot the/(your) i s and cross the/(your) t s informal to do something very carefully and in a lot of detail. She writes highly accurate reports she always dots her i s and crosses her t s …   New idioms dictionary

  • dot the i's and cross your t's — dot the/(your) i s and cross the/(your) t s informal to do something very carefully and in a lot of detail. She writes highly accurate reports she always dots her i s and crosses her t s …   New idioms dictionary

  • dot the i's and cross t's — dot the/(your) i s and cross the/(your) t s informal to do something very carefully and in a lot of detail. She writes highly accurate reports she always dots her i s and crosses her t s …   New idioms dictionary

  • dot the i's and cross the t's — {v. phr.} To be careful, thorough, and pay close attention to detail. * / The best way to get an A on the final exam, the teacher said, is for every one to dot the i s and cross the t s. / Compare: MIND ONE S P S AND Q S …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • dot the i's and cross the t's — {v. phr.} To be careful, thorough, and pay close attention to detail. * / The best way to get an A on the final exam, the teacher said, is for every one to dot the i s and cross the t s. / Compare: MIND ONE S P S AND Q S …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • dot the i's and cross the t's — verb /ˈdɒt ði ˌaɪz ənd ˈkrɒs ðə ˌtiːz,ˈdɑːt ði ˌaɪz ənd ˈkrɑːs ðə ˌtiːz/ To take care of every detail, even minor ones; To be meticulous or thorough. Before taking the project to the CEO, lets make sure we dot the is and cross the ts …   Wiktionary

  • dot\ the\ i's\ and\ cross\ the\ t's — v. phr. To be careful, thorough, and pay close attention to detail. the best way to get an a on the final exam, the teacher said, is for every one to dot the i s and cross the t s. Compare: mind one s P s and Q s …   Словарь американских идиом

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