i so much want to like this movie . even when bad review start come in from the festival it open in . i think to myself maybe it just misunderstood to those unfamiliar with ellroy novel but frankly and it just never felt right and and and and then it go more and more uncomfortably wrong while the actor in their role and the soundtrack vs. certain scene and the story fumble it way around with not enough mention of the dahlia herself ( which really drive the character in the novel ) . there be part of the book that get leave out which shouldn not have be and while there be other part put in that could have be leave out . l. a. confidential be a long and more complex book than ellroy the black dahlia and yet curtis hanson and brian helgeland know what be necessary to move the story forward without get in over their head in make it a functional screenplay . and that be where this movie fail miserably ( along with the other fore mention issue ) . it be however beautifully shot and lit in many scene and but even a polished turd be still a turd and and that be essentially what you have here with depalma late offering . this movie could lead to a new future in move making and subsequent dvd extra while alternate actor and soundtrack and screenplay . because that the only way this could be save .