Twentynine Palms

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Twentynine Palms ★½ 2003

Director Dumont's first feature made in the U.S. is a grim, moody thriller than grinds on monotonously until a twist near the end triggers an intense situation. L.A. resi dents David (Wissak) and his French speaking girlfriend Katia (Golubeva) em bark on a trip to the California desert lo cale of the title. The action mostly consists of motel stops where the eerily laconic couple, who mostly just drive around and bicker, copulate graphically and frequently out of boredom. David accidentally hits a dog, to Katia's horror, but not much else happens until they get hit from behind by a strange vehicle which sets off horrific violence. Seemingly pointless exercise in gratuitous sex and violence. Mostly in English with some French dialogue. 119m/C VHS, DVD . GE FR Yekaterina (Katia) Golubeva, David Wissak; D: Bruno Dumont; W: Bruno Dumont; C: Georges Lechaptois; M: Takashi Hirayasu, Bob Brozman.