Domino (2005 film)

Last updated
Domino
Dominoposter.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Tony Scott
Screenplay by Richard Kelly
Story by
Produced by
Starring
Cinematography Dan Mindel
Edited by
Music by Harry Gregson-Williams
Production
companies
Distributed by
Release dates
  • September 25, 2005 (2005-09-25)(WFF)
  • October 14, 2005 (2005-10-14)(United States)
  • November 23, 2005 (2005-11-23)(France)
Running time
127 minutes
CountriesFrance [2]
United States [2]
United Kingdom [2]
LanguageEnglish
Budget$50 million [3]
Box office$23.5 million [3]

Domino is a 2005 action crime film directed by Tony Scott with a screenplay by Richard Kelly from a story by Kelly and Steve Barancik. An international co-production between France, the United States, and the United Kingdom, [2] the film is inspired by Domino Harvey, the English daughter of stage and screen actor Laurence Harvey, who became a Los Angeles bounty hunter.

Contents

Its plot flashes back as Domino (Keira Knightley), a fashion model turned bounty hunter, narrates how a $10 million robbery came about 36 hours before. Supporting actors include Mickey Rourke, Édgar Ramírez, Delroy Lindo, Mena Suvari, Mo'Nique, Lucy Liu, and Christopher Walken. The film is dedicated to Harvey, who died at age 35 from an overdose of fentanyl on 27 June 2005, a few months before the film was released.

Plot

Domino Harvey, a bounty hunter, has been arrested by the FBI, investigating the theft of $10 million from an armored truck. She is interviewed by criminal psychologist Taryn Mills who tells her everything she knows about the case. Domino explains her profession and the events leading up to the theft with Mills occasionally prompting her to give more detail.

Domino is a former model living in Los Angeles who becomes a bounty hunter when, after being kicked out of college, she notices a newspaper advertisement for a bounty hunter training seminar. Her colleagues are Ed Moseby, Choco, and Afghan driver, Alf. They are employed by Claremont Williams III, a bail bondsman who also runs an armored car business, and whose mistress, Lateesha Rodriguez, works for the California Department of Motor Vehicles. Lateesha's granddaughter Mica is suffering from a blood disease and needs an operation that costs $300,000. Claremont sets up the robbery of $10 million from Drake Bishop, the owner of the Stratosphere Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas and a client of Claremont. His bounty hunters would return the stolen money and collect a $300,000 finder's fee from Bishop.

Lateesha has been running a counterfeit driver's license racket at the DMV. A teenager named Frances arrives at the DMV and asks Lateesha for fake licenses for himself, his brother, and two of their friends. The FBI are tipped about Lateesha's racket. They threaten to send her to jail unless she gives them information about Frances, whom they have been surveilling. Lateesha throws them off the trail by saying that Frances, his brother, and his two friends are going to commit the armored car robbery when in reality she and Claremont are doing it themselves.

Lateesha carries out the robbery with the help of three co-workers. Claremont finds that Frances and his brother are the sons of mafia boss Anthony Cigliutti. He phones Lateesha and tells her to abort the plan, leaving the money with getaway driver Locus Fender, who takes the money to his mother's trailer home. Claremont has the bounty hunters apprehend Frances, his brother, and his two friends and then tells them to deliver them to men working for Drake Bishop. Claremont tells them to retrieve the money from Fender and to deliver it to Bishop at the Stratosphere Casino. Following a shootout with Fender's mother, the $10 million is retrieved. Cigliutti is told about his sons' arrest and is led to believe that Bishop had his sons killed. In reality, Bishop's men released the boys after learning that they did not know anything about the robbery. Believing his sons dead, Cigliutti wants revenge and heads for the Stratosphere. In Las Vegas, Domino takes $300,000 of Bishop's money and gives it to Lateesha for Mica's operation.

At the Stratosphere, the bounty hunters meet with Bishop, who has an armed crew with him. Domino and Bishop discuss the $10 million and what should happen next. Alf has stolen the money and filled the sacks with plastic explosives. He then reveals that he has the remote detonator taped to his hand, and has shipped the money to free Afghanistan. Shortly after this revelation, Cigliutti turns up with his crew. Though Bishop denies he had Cigliutti's sons killed, Cigliutti shoots him and Beckett. In the ensuing gunfight, Choco and Ed are severely wounded but make it into the elevator with Domino. Alf, critically wounded, sacrifices himself to blow up the top of the Stratosphere and Domino is the only survivor.

After telling Taryn Mills everything, Domino is released by the FBI. Mills advises her to retire from bounty hunting. The (nearly) $10 million in boxes is delivered to Afghanistan and opened by celebrating children in the streets, Mica gets her $300,000 operation, and Domino shares a moment with her mother.

Cast

In addition, Dale Dickey plays Edna Fender, Tom Waits plays the Wanderer, and Riz Abbasi is Alf, the team's driver from Afghanistan. Jerry Springer makes a cameo appearance as himself, hosting his show.

Production

Development

The real Domino Harvey (1994) Domino Harvey.jpg
The real Domino Harvey (1994)

In 1994 director Tony Scott was sent an article from the British newspaper The Mail on Sunday by his business manager Neville Shulman. The article, written by Sacha Gervasi and titled My gun for hire: Why a movie star's rebel daughter turned into a bounty hunter, was about an English woman named Domino Harvey who was working as a bounty hunter, apprehending fugitives who had skipped bail for the Celes King Bail Bond agency in South Central Los Angeles. While Harvey was one of the few female bounty hunters, [4] what caught the attention of Shulman and Scott was that she was the daughter of actor Laurence Harvey.

Tony Scott tracked Domino to Beverly Hills, where she was living at the time with her mother Paulene Stone and Stone's then-husband Peter Morton. He invited Domino to his office, where he proposed a film of her life. Domino agreed and sold Scott the film rights. According to the Los Angeles Times , Harvey was paid $360,000 for the rights. [5] Tony Scott interviewed Harvey about her life and her work bounty hunting. Scott also met and interviewed Ed Martinez and Choco, who were Domino's bounty-hunting colleagues. She took him to meet Celes King III, the bail bondsman they worked for.

20th Century Fox, which had a first refusal deal on the project, turned it down [6] and in the end the film was financed by New Line Cinema.

Steve Barancik wrote the first draft of the screenplay, [7] [8] in 1997, which Scott rejected. A second script was written by Roger Avary, [9] but was also rejected by Scott. Scott described the two rejected screenplays as conventional biopics of Domino Harvey's life, which was not what he had in mind. Finally, Richard Kelly was asked to write the screenplay after Scott read his script for Southland Tales . [10] Kelly was sent transcripts of Domino Harvey's interviews with Tony Scott, but he did not read the scripts that Scott had rejected. [11] In discussing the finished product, Kelly commented that "...Domino might be one of the most subversive films released by a major studio since Fight Club ". [12]

Tony Scott thought of Keira Knightley for the role of Domino after seeing her in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl . [13] Mickey Rourke initially turned down the film, describing the part of bounty hunter Ed Moseby as "one-dimensional"; he agreed to do the film when Scott had the role rewritten. [14]

Filming

Filming began in Los Angeles on October 4, 2004. Filming locations included the Ambassador Hotel, the Hotel Alexandria, and the Wilshire Grand Hotel. Scenes were also shot at the Santa Monica Department of Motor Vehicles. [15] Filming moved to Nevada in early December 2004. Scenes were filmed at the Valley of Fire State Park, as well as Hoover Dam and Needles, California. [15]

During the final week of production, scenes were filmed over six days at the Stratosphere Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Interior shots included the resort's Top of the World restaurant, which was closed at the time for renovations. [16] The Stratosphere was not in the original script. Executive producer Barry Waldman met with the casino's owners in the summer of 2004 to discuss featuring it in the movie, which the owners agreed to after small changes were made to the script. [16] Tony Scott said an eight-minute BMW commercial he shot at the resort was "a testing ground" for Domino. [17]

Scenes were filmed at the Bonnie Springs Ranch motel on December 20, 2004. [18] Scott had wanted to include the ranch and the Valley of Fire in one of his movies. [17] The following day, scenes were filmed at the Stardust Resort and Casino's Starlight Lounge. [18] Filming concluded on December 22, 2004, after scenes were shot at the intersection of South Las Vegas Boulevard and Sahara Avenue. [18] Filming lasted a combined total of 62 days. [15]

Release

The release date of the film was announced and delayed several times. The original release date was August 19, 2005. On May 22, 2005, the release date was changed to November 4, 2005. On June 28, 2005, a day after Harvey's death, the release date was changed to November 23, 2005. On July 11, 2005, it was moved to October 14, 2005, which was the date the film was released on. [19] The film had its premiere on October 11, 2005, in Los Angeles.

The film was released on October 14, 2005, in 2,223 theaters across America and grossed $4,670,120 on its opening weekend. The film stayed in release for four weeks and ended up with a gross of $10,169,202. In other territories, the film grossed $13,404,855 which, added to the domestic gross, gave the film a total worldwide gross of $23,574,057. This was a box-office flop compared to the film's estimated $50 million cost. [3]

Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes Domino has an approval rating of 18%, based on 155 reviews, with an average rating of 4.00/10. The site's consensus states: "The life story of model-turned-bounty-hunter Domino Harvey struggles to get out of this overwrought and excessive biopic." [20] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 36 out of 100, based on 36 reviews, which it ranks as "generally unfavorable". [21] Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a grade "C+" on scale of A to F. [22]

Owen Gleiberman in Entertainment Weekly gave Domino a 'D' grade, describing it as "trash shot to look like art imitating trash". Gleiberman criticized the plot as "so dense with ersatz Elmore Leonard convolutions that it manages to stay three steps ahead of the audience and four steps behind common sense". [23] Kenneth Turan in the Los Angeles Times also criticized the story, saying that the film was "so over-plotted that it's borderline incomprehensible". [24] A more positive review came from Jeff Otto at IGN who praised the film for originality and also praised the acting. Otto stated that "the final result is a bit of a mess, but it's one hell of an entertaining mess". [25] Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times also wrote a positive review, giving the film three stars and saying he admired it. [26] The film was among Tony Scott's favourites of his own films, [27] although he was also very critical of it, saying, "I didn't let the movie breathe enough. The script was great—Richard Kelly wrote a great script—and I got overcome by the insanity of the world I was touching. I think I fucked up on that one." [28]

Home media

The film was released on DVD and VHS on February 21, 2006. The DVD contained several extra features including an audio commentary with Tony Scott and Richard Kelly, deleted scenes from the film, featurettes on Domino Harvey and the visual style of the film, the teaser trailer and the theatrical trailer. While the film was released in its original widescreen format in all DVD regions, the film was also released in a full screen format on Region 1. [29] The film was released on Blu-ray on January 20, 2009. [30]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Bugsy</i> 1991 biographical film by Barry Levinson

Bugsy is a 1991 American biographical crime drama film directed by Barry Levinson and written by James Toback. The film stars Warren Beatty, Annette Bening, Harvey Keitel, Ben Kingsley, Elliott Gould, Bebe Neuwirth, and Joe Mantegna. It is based on the life of American mobster Bugsy Siegel and his affair with starlet Virginia Hill.

<i>Oceans 11</i> 1960 heist film directed by Lewis Milestone

Ocean's 11 is a 1960 American heist film directed and produced by Lewis Milestone from a screenplay by Harry Brown and Charles Lederer, based on a story by George Clayton Johnson and Jack Golden Russell. The film stars an ensemble cast and five members of the Rat Pack: Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford, and Joey Bishop. Centered on a series of Las Vegas casino robberies, the film also stars Angie Dickinson, Richard Conte, Cesar Romero, Patrice Wymore, Akim Tamiroff, and Henry Silva. It includes cameo appearances by Shirley MacLaine, Red Skelton, and George Raft.

Las Vegas is an American comedy-drama television series created by Gary Scott Thompson. It was broadcast by NBC from September 22, 2003, to February 15, 2008, airing for five seasons. It focuses on a team of people working at the Montecito, a fictional hotel and casino on the Las Vegas Strip. The employees deal with various issues that arise within the working environment, ranging from casino security to restaurant management and valet parking. Las Vegas starred James Caan, Josh Duhamel, Nikki Cox, James Lesure, Vanessa Marcil, Molly Sims, Marsha Thomason, and eventually Tom Selleck. The series originally centered on Ed Deline (Caan), a strict ex-CIA officer who serves as the president of operations for the Montecito. Former Marine Counterintelligence/HUMINT (CI/HUMINT) officer, Danny McCoy (Duhamel), who is Ed's protégé, later becomes the Montecito's new president.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mickey Rourke</span> American actor and former boxer (born 1952)

Philip Andre "Mickey" Rourke Jr. is an American actor and former professional boxer who has appeared primarily as a leading man in drama, action, and thriller films.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Strat</span> Casino hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada

The Strat is a hotel and casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. It includes a 1,149 ft (350.2 m) observation tower, the tallest in the United States. It is also the second-tallest observation tower in the Western Hemisphere, surpassed only by the CN Tower in Toronto, Ontario. The top of the tower includes a revolving restaurant, lounges, observation decks, and several thrill rides. The hotel and casino are at the base of the tower, and the resort also includes a showroom and a shopping mall. The Strat is within city limits on Las Vegas Boulevard, just north of the Las Vegas Strip. The resort is sometimes considered a Strip property, but Clark County does not officially recognize it as such, saying the Strip does not extend into the city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anthony Spilotro</span> American mobster (1938–1986)

Anthony John Spilotro, nicknamed "Tony the Ant", was an American mobster and high-ranking member of the Chicago Outfit who operated in Las Vegas during the 1970s and '80s. Spilotro managed the Outfit's illegal casino profits when four of the casinos, the Stardust, the Fremont, the Hacienda and the Marina, were managed by Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal, replacing Outfit member John Roselli. He was also the leader of the "Hole in the Wall Gang", a burglary crew he formed when he moved to Las Vegas in 1971.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kelly Bishop</span> American actress and dancer (born 1944)

Kelly Bishop is an American actress and dancer, best known for her roles as matriarch Emily Gilmore on the series Gilmore Girls and as Marjorie Houseman, the mother of Jennifer Grey's Frances "Baby" Houseman in the film Dirty Dancing. Bishop originated the role of Sheila in A Chorus Line for which she won a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical. In 2023, she starred as Mrs. Ivey in The Watchful Eye (2023).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Kelly (filmmaker)</span> American film director and writer

James Richard Kelly is an American film director, screenwriter and producer. He wrote and directed the films Donnie Darko, Southland Tales, and The Box.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flamingo Las Vegas</span> Casino hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, US

Flamingo Las Vegas is a casino hotel on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment. The Flamingo includes a 72,299 sq ft (6,716.8 m2) casino and a 28-story hotel with 3,460 rooms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Domino Harvey</span> Bounty hunter (1969–2005)

Domino Harvey was an English bounty hunter in the United States. She came from a well-to-do background, being the daughter of Laurence Harvey and fashion model Paulene Stone. Harvey's fame was increased posthumously by the 2005 release of the film Domino, which was loosely based on her life, in which Harvey was portrayed by Keira Knightley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ted Binion</span> American gambling executive (1943–1998)

Lonnie Theodore "Ted" Binion, was an American gambling executive and the son of Las Vegas casino magnate Benny Binion, owner of Binion's Horseshoe casino. Ted Binion was involved in multiple criminal cases which included associating with organised crime figures. Binion had a multi-million dollar bullion coin and silver bar collection, known as the Binion Hoard, which he hid inside the Horseshoe casino and at two properties that he owned. When Binion died in 1998, there were suspicions of foul play. Binion's girlfriend Sandra Murphy and her lover Rick Tabish became the prime suspects. After Binion's death, both Murphy and Tabish were charged and convicted of burglary, grand larceny, and murder. The two were later granted a new trial and acquitted on the murder charges.

<i>Oceans Thirteen</i> 2007 film by Steven Soderbergh

Ocean's Thirteen is a 2007 American heist comedy film directed by Steven Soderbergh and written by Brian Koppelman and David Levien. It is the final installment in the Ocean's film trilogy and the sequel to Ocean's Twelve (2004). The film features an ensemble cast including George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Andy García, Don Cheadle, Bernie Mac, Ellen Barkin, Al Pacino, Casey Affleck, Scott Caan, Eddie Jemison, Qin Shaobo, Carl Reiner, and Elliott Gould.

<i>Leprechaun 3</i> 1995 American film

Leprechaun 3 is a 1995 American horror comedy film and the third, and first direct-to-video installment, in the Leprechaun series. The film follows the psychotic leprechaun Lubdan, who begins a killing spree in Las Vegas.

<i>Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas</i> 1971 novel by Hunter S. Thompson

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream is a 1971 novel in the gonzo journalism style by Hunter S. Thompson. The book is a roman à clef, rooted in autobiographical incidents. The story follows its protagonist, Raoul Duke, and his attorney, Doctor Gonzo, as they descend on Las Vegas to chase the American Dream through a drug-induced haze, all the while ruminating on the failure of the 1960s countercultural movement. The work is Thompson's most famous book and is noted for its lurid descriptions of illicit drug use and its early retrospective on the culture of the 1960s. Thompson's highly subjective blend of fact and fiction, which it popularized, became known as gonzo journalism. Illustrated by Ralph Steadman, the novel first appeared as a two-part series in Rolling Stone magazine in 1971 before being published in book form in 1972. It was later adapted into a film of the same title in 1998 by director Terry Gilliam, starring Johnny Depp and Benicio del Toro, who portrayed Raoul Duke and Dr. Gonzo, respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Morton</span> American businessman (born 1947)

Peter Alan Morton is an American businessman. He is the co-founder of the Hard Rock Café, a chain of casual dining restaurants.

<i>The Night Stalker</i> (1972 film) 1972 television horror film by John Llewellyn Moxey

The Night Stalker is an American made for television horror film which aired on ABC on January 11, 1972, as their ABC Movie of the Week. In the film, an investigative reporter, played by Darren McGavin, comes to suspect that a serial killer in the Las Vegas area is actually a vampire.

<i>Jocks</i> (film) 1987 film by Steve Carver

Jocks is a 1987 teen comedy. The film was directed by Steve Carver and written by Michael Lanahan and David Oas. Jocks was shot in Las Vegas and in Los Angeles.

<i>Meet Me in Las Vegas</i> 1956 US musical comedy film by Roy Rowland

Meet Me in Las Vegas is a 1956 American musical comedy film directed by Roy Rowland, filmed in Eastman Color and CinemaScope, and starring Dan Dailey and Cyd Charisse. The film was tailored for the talents of Charisse, showcasing her skills with modern and classical ballet.

<i>Grace of Monaco</i> (film) 2014 film directed by Olivier Dahan

Grace of Monaco is a 2014 biographical drama film directed by Olivier Dahan and written by Arash Amel. The film stars Nicole Kidman in the title role as Grace of Monaco. It also features a supporting cast of Frank Langella, Parker Posey, Derek Jacobi, Paz Vega, Roger Ashton-Griffiths, Milo Ventimiglia, and Tim Roth.

Aztec Inn is a motel and casino located on 0.89 acres (0.36 ha) of land at 2200 South Las Vegas Boulevard, north of the Las Vegas Strip, in Las Vegas, Nevada. The property is located south of the Stratosphere hotel-casino, and includes a nearby apartment complex connected to the Aztec Inn.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Domino". Box Office Mojo.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Domino (2005)". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on December 5, 2017. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 "Domino (2005) - Financial Information". The Numbers .
  4. ↑ Summers, Chris When hunting people is a career, BBC News Online, October 12, 2005, Retrieved May 21, 2007.
  5. ↑ Lee, Chris, The Fall of a Thrill Hunter, the Los Angeles Times , July 22, 2005, Retrieved May 24, 2007.
  6. ↑ Hart, Hugh, A rich, beautiful bounty hunter, sfgate.com, October 9, 2005, retrieved June 9, 2008.
  7. ↑ Audio commentary featuring Tony Scott and Richard Kelly on the DVD
  8. ↑ Mayflower, Darwin, "TOP TEN UNPRODUCED SCRIPTS" Archived December 17, 2010, at the Wayback Machine , screenwritersutopia.com, 8/8/00, retrieved March 15, 2011.
  9. ↑ Knowles, Harry, "Harry looks at Richard Kelly's script for DOMINO a film by Tony Scott!", www.aintitcool.com, 13/2/03, retrieved April 9, 2011.
  10. ↑ Domino Production Notes keiraweb.com Retrieved May 18, 2007.
  11. ↑ Murray, Rebecca, Richard Kelly Discusses "Domino", "Working with Tony Scott, and "Southland Tales" Archived 2007-02-25 at the Wayback Machine , About.com, August 30, 2005, Retrieved May 24, 2007.
  12. ↑ Richard sets the record straight on Domino Archived December 6, 2008, at the Wayback Machine , richard-kelly.net, June 30, 2005, Retrieved May 24, 2007
  13. ↑ Hewitt, Chris (2005). "Scott of the Kinetic". Empire . Archived from the original on 2012-10-14. Retrieved 2009-06-02.
  14. ↑ ""Domino" Interviews:Mickey Rourke and Edgar Ramirez". Hollywood.com . October 2005. Archived from the original on 2008-05-02. Retrieved 2008-06-08.
  15. 1 2 3 Domino Production Notes: About The Locations Archived 2014-10-18 at the Wayback Machine , www.CinemaReview.com, Retrieved October 14, 2014.
  16. 1 2 Stanley, T.I., Stratosphere Casino Lands Explosive Movie Promotion, Advertising Age, October 26, 2005, Retrieved October 14, 2014.
  17. 1 2 Clarke, Norm. Scott Scouted Vegas, Las Vegas Review-Journal, August 22, 2012. Retrieved October 14, 2014.
  18. 1 2 3 Cling, Carol. Shooting Stars: "Domino" to leave, "Dan Show" arriving soon, Las Vegas Review-Journal, December 20, 2004. Archived January 12, 2005.
  19. ↑ Domino promotions page , keiraweb.com, retrieved October 4, 2007.
  20. ↑ "Domino". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  21. ↑ "Domino Reviews". Metacritic . Retrieved September 15, 2011.
  22. ↑ "DOMINO (2005) C+". CinemaScore . Archived from the original on February 6, 2018.
  23. ↑ Gleiberman, Owen (12 October 2005). "Domino Review". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 19 October 2014. Retrieved October 25, 2012.
  24. ↑ Turan, Kenneth (14 October 2005). "It can't bail itself out". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved October 25, 2012.
  25. ↑ Otto, Jeff (13 October 2005). "Domino". IGN. Retrieved October 25, 2012.
  26. ↑ Ebert, Roger (13 October 2005). "Domino review". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved October 14, 2014.
  27. ↑ Smith, Adam. "Tony Scott On Tony Scott". empireonline.com. Retrieved October 26, 2012.
  28. ↑ Rich, Katey (12 June 2009). "Interview: Tony Scott". CinemaBlend.com. Retrieved October 21, 2015.
  29. ↑ Domino DVD Comparison dvdcompare.net Retrieved September 31, 2007
  30. ↑ Domino (US BD) in January dvdtimes.co.uk retrieved February 9, 2009.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.