The Lonely Hearts Lonely Heart was released in Amsterdam without much hype. It also ran in few theatres. It is based on a true story of a couple who kills single women – widowed / divorced and rich to rob their money – "The Lonely Heart Killers".

The premise starts with Jared Leto fast talking his way through lonely heart women, and in that course meets Salma Hayek – an unemployed girl who joins hands with Jared and pretending as his sister – starts the race of going from one place to another – leaving a trial of murders. John Travolta and James Gandolfini play cops who are in pursue of this couple killers. The director Todd Robinson runs a parallel sub-plot of John Travolta's life and his evolving relationships with a Laura Dern and his son – I thought that was quite unnecessary, with the fact being the basic premise of the movie was very strong, and with Salma Hayek in her prime form – there was no need to add another female character.

Salma Hayek has played a subtly psychotic character who captures Jared Leto's life – and in jealously of Jared's involvement with widow or divorce women – goes on the rampage of killing them; at times forcing Jared to do so on her behalf. The story in the latter half is more engrossing than the former. During the last episode we assume that Salma develops an emotional bond with the women, whom they are trying to cheat – but the love to Jared and jealously of not bearing her man getting attracted towards any women – ends up in killing the women and also her young child.

John Travolta has given a punching performance as a cop who is seeking answers himself of his wife's suicide (the film begins with that scene) and building evidence to track the couple killers.

The film is shot very well, and the story develops and grows gradually upon you. The last scene of Salma and Jared's execution becomes touching by Salma's voice-over describing the love shared by them; as if our heart goes for actually saving this brutal killers.

Last a mention of Jared Leto, who looks in his getup similar to the original killer and hats off to him for giving a good performance. But the movie and show would be remembered by the cold blooded performance by beautiful Salma.

(6 Star)

"Lonely Hearts" tells us the real story of the "Lonely Hearts KIllers", the couple Martha Beck and Raymond Martinez (played by Salma Hayek and Jared Leto) and the police investigation conducted by an obstinate detective (John Travolta) recently traumatized with the unexplainable suicide of his wife. The couple's "name" came from the scam they practiced against lonely women who wanted to engage in a relationship with a man through adds on newspaper's personal columns.

Looks like 2006 was the year to rediscover the film noir. This came out on the same year as Brian De Palma's "Black Dahlia" but attracted less attention. With justice, that was a better film. "Lonely Hearts" presents a good story that pays some small reflection on people who were looking for something good, tried of everything to have a relationship but failed at that, being tricked into the unknown, letting themselves get fooled by looks and charm, and it's also a story about serial killers who take advantage of such situation to simply steal money and take away lives. It sounds very contemporary the small appeal the movie has, just think bigger how this plot would be treated today with the internet and new ways to meet people. We would have what we're get used to see in the news.

Being "accomplices" of the couple in their spree of killing is interesting, wild, an exquisite relationship they have with each other (ironically, Raymond always make the con alone and he was about to try on Martha, who noticed it and started to help him); the background story for Travolta's character sometimes work, other times doesn't involve us at all, the investigation when made right works fine with some thrilling scenes. But the majority of scenes here is constantly showing the lack of cooperation between the detectives played by James Gandolfini (and his annoying voice-over) and Scott Caan. Why we're forced to watch them fight and play like kids all the time, what's the point?

The acting deserves some credit, specially for Leto playing a character that rare young actors would like to play, sacrificing his good looks to appear less beautiful to the camera with a hair piece to hide his slightly baldness. He's a weak fella, someone who at first only wanted to get money from his victims to later be seduced by this woman who'll boss around him to make anything for her, including the murders of the worst kind. Hayek is a little over-the-top but she knows how to leave a good impression anyhow. Laura Dern is very good in the ungrateful role of the female detective who takes interest on poor Travolta, always trying to be more than just an affair.

For the most part, characters and the movie sink little by little into a dark corner, too much predictable but somehow it manages to not disappoint. Compared with "Black Dahlia" since both are film noir updates of the 21st century it fails for not being more clever, more intriguing. Clearly, De Palma had to imagine many unbelievable devices to present the story but at least it was great. Here, even if the story is very close to the truth, and the fact of the director being related to the main character doesn't count much. To quote Kubrick: "It is real but it's not interesting". 6/10

Which is not the fault of the cast. James Gandolfini and S. Caan do have really great moments together (although you would like to see more of them ... especially Gandolfini). Jared Leto and Salma Hayek are great too. The only one I wasn't entirely convinced with was J. Travolta!

A stronger lead would have helped enormously, because you don't get to spend so much time with the characters. Subplots do spice up the story, but they're mostly not entirely convincing too. That leaves you with the main plot, which does feel like a crime noir, but it's not as good as it could be. I can't explain that, without going into details and spoiling some of the stuff, so I will leave it at that!