The Black Dahlia
2006, Mystery & thriller/Crime, 2h 1m
194 Reviews 50,000+ RatingsWhat to know
critics consensus
Though this ambitious noir crime-drama captures the atmosphere of its era, it suffers from subpar performances, a convoluted story, and the inevitable comparisons to other, more successful films of its genre. Read critic reviews
You might also like

Syriana

American Beauty

Hustle & Flow

The Good Shepherd

Blood Diamond
Where to watch
The Black Dahlia Videos
The Black Dahlia Photos
Movie Info
Two cops in 1940s Los Angeles investigate the murder of a Hollywood starlet (Mia Kirshner), and one (Aaron Eckhart) puts his marriage in jeopardy by obsessing over the crime, while the other (Josh Hartnett) becomes involved with a woman (Hilary Swank) from a prominent family, who happens to have an unsavory tie to the victim.
Cast & Crew
Josh Hartnett
Officer Dwight Bleichert
Officer Dwight Bleichert
Scarlett Johansson
Kay Lake
Kay Lake
Aaron Eckhart
Sgt. Leland Blanchard
Sgt. Leland Blanchard
Hilary Swank
Madeleine Sprague
Madeleine Sprague
Mia Kirshner
Elizabeth Short
Elizabeth Short
Mike Starr
Russ Millard
Russ Millard
Critic Reviews for The Black Dahlia
Audience Reviews for The Black Dahlia
-
Mar 11, 2017Confusing story, but pretty interesting I think. I like the noire style of the film.Stephen S Super Reviewer
-
Jul 30, 2016The cinematography is undeniably beautiful, but there are about three different incoherent movies stuffed into this mess.Alec B Super Reviewer
-
Mar 04, 2013Let my first state my bias; I am a huge fan of James Ellroy. I think he is the finest American Noir Author, and have read several of his books. In addition, LA Confidential is probably in my Top 15 movies of all time.This movie looks great, but is hollow and problem plagued. The story about two LAPD partners investigating the Black Dahlia murder, while sharing a love for the same woman, stars Josh Hartnett and Aaron Eckhart as the pugilistic partners.(Both are prizefighters, when not on the beat.) There is some chemistry between the actors, and I enjoyed the work of Eckhart, who unfortunately hasn't enough scenes. Hartnett, on the other hand, looks great, but the best you can say about his acting is that he looks great.The gorgeous Scarlett Johansson plays the lover of Eckhart, and the prospectivelover of Hartnett. She looks great, and does a good job of playing a woman in distress who is torn in who she really loves. Hillary Swank is very good as well, as the socialite suspect who seduces Hartnett .The best performance in very limited screen time is Mia Kirshner, who plays Elizabeth Short, the doomed Black Dahlia.The look of the film is great, but as I stated, I am a sucker from 1940's set pieces. The credit for that should go to Director Brian DePalma. Unfortunately, DePalma doesn't have much of a story to work with. The film has some plot holes and one of the main characters is not seen for the second half of the movie.Poor casting and a weak script make what could've been a classic, into a mundane movie experience.Robert B Super Reviewer
-
Nov 16, 2012From director Brian De Palma comes the noir thriller The Black Dahlia. Based on a novel, the story follows a pair of police detectives that are assigned to one of the notorious Black Dahlia murders of the 1940s, but the investigation uncovers their own dark secrets and starts to tear them apart. The cast is quite impressive, and includes Josh Hartnett, Aaron Eckhart, Scarlett Johansson, and Mia Kirshner. But the story is convoluted and overly complicated, full of needless twists and reveals. Additionally, the noir tone doesn't really work, as De Palma put style before substance. The Black Dahlia is an overly stylized and disjointed film that lacks focus.Dann M Super Reviewer
Verified