Chances are an actor you like is in "The Salton Sea." I'm not saying they are a main character, but everyone who is anyone in subculture Hollywood seems to be in the film. Val Kilmer, Adam Goldberg, Vincent D'Onofrio, Luis Guzman, Anthony LaPaglia, Debra Unger, B.D. Wong, Chandra West, Shirley Knight, Meat Loaf, and Azure Skye all make appearances.

I saw the film because I love Goldberg. He's barely in this film. As a friend of the main character, he's given almost nothing to do. His centerpiece is a heist fantasy that sticks out like a sore thumb and has little to do with the film. The sub-subplot here involves a dream to steal Bob Hope's stool sample and sell it on E- bay. Perhaps because Goldberg is such a pal of Rick Linklater and because Linklater directed "Slacker," this idea seemed like a riff off the Madonna pap smear segment in "Slacker." That's really pushing it though. Can you imagine what Madonna's pap smear would go for on E-bay? Linklater could retire. Anyway, point is, Goldberg is wasted here.

"The Salton Sea" reminded me of Phillip K. Dick's "A Scanner Darkly" in that it has a character who infiltrates the drug culture and then forgets who he is. The drug here is crystal meth and the film spends at least 20 to 30 minutes delving into that subculture (in a real and yet witty way) before grinding into its story. I won't spoil much more of the plot for you. It has lots of surprises, but if you've read Dick's novel, you'll see that scripter Tony Gayton stole plenty from it.

D.J. Caruso does an adequate job here but it's pretty easy to see that he's a TV director. Although there is some grittiness to the film, it often seems a bit too slick. Caruso does try some interesting visual effects. And he obviously knows how to cast and utilize actors. Kilmer has his best role in ages. D'Onofrio has a lot of fun here and is almost unrecognizable with a prosthetic. B.D. Wong is great and has a great character to work with. (However, I don't remember seeing Meat Loaf at all).

"The Salton Sea" is a cool drug flick. I liked it tons better than, say, "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas." (It's no "Trainspotting," however). And any Adam Goldberg is good. Even if he has almost nothing worthwhile to do.

Note:

Eriq La Salle (TV's "E.R.") and Frank Darabont are producers.

Score by Thomas Newman. Gil Evans does some trumpet solos which are played, on screen, by Kilmer.

Report Card Script: B+ Acting: A- Cinematography\Lighting: B- Special Effects\Make Up: A Music: B Final Grade: B+

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