Ask the Dust
2006 · 117 min · Director: Robert Towne, Robert Towne
Show plot summary (may contain spoilers)
In early-1930s Los Angeles, California in the early 1930s, racism, poverty, and disease color the Bunker Hill neighborhood where Arturo Bandini (Colin Farrell), a lover of man and beast alike, has arrived from Colorado to write the great Los Angeles novel. Six months later he's down to his last nickel and orders a cup of coffee, which is served by Camilla Lopez (Salma Hayek): beautiful, self-possessed, and Mexican. Arturo gets advice, encouragement, and an occasional check from H.L. Mencken (Richard Schickel), so he keeps writing and he keeps seeing Camilla. But he's mean to her for no apparent reason, so the relationship sputters. A housekeeper from back East suggests a way out of his jealousy and fears.
Emotional fingerprint
Ask the Dust (2006) — Movie. Top emotional signals: Sadness 30%, Love 25%, Empathy 20%. Source: AI estimate. Shares describe emotional signal, not percentages of people. Your experience may differ. How we measure
- Sadness30%
- Love25%
- Empathy20%
- Anxiety15%
- Melancholy10%
AI estimate · no viewer votes yet
How we measure
AI estimate
Share of emotional signal, not the percentage of people or a probability of enjoyment.
Each viewer contributes one response, split equally across their selected emotions. When available, an automated estimate supplies a prior that is blended with those responses. Counts include distinct viewers, not automated estimates or archived anonymous votes. Fewer than 3 viewers is an early estimate; more responses do not guarantee certainty.
Why it feels this way
The strongest emotional signals are Sadness, Love, Empathy. Genres: Drama, Romance. AI estimate.
Is it worth watching?
Consider this title if you are looking for Sadness, Love and Empathy. Its IMDb rating of 5.7/10 suggests a mixed audience reception; consider how well the emotional profile suits you. For these leading emotions, its Feel Score is 59/100.
How did it make you feel?
Votes are saved to the fingerprint once you’re signed in.
Pick up to three · 0/3
Emotional journey
- Sadness
- Empathy
- Love
Not enough subtitle evidence
No dominant emotion
Dominant emotion: Hope
Dominant emotion: Tension
Dominant emotion: Empathy
Dominant emotion: Sadness
Dominant emotion: Love
Dominant emotion
| % | Approximate minute | Dominant emotion | Overall intensity | Sadness | Empathy | Love |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5 % | ≈ 3′ | Hope | 32 % | 18 % | 25 % | 3 % |
| 7.5 % | ≈ 9′ | Hope | 35 % | 19 % | 26 % | 8 % |
| 12.5 % | ≈ 15′ | Tension | 38 % | 23 % | 30 % | 13 % |
| 17.5 % | ≈ 20′ | Empathy | 39 % | 24 % | 33 % | 16 % |
| 22.5 % | ≈ 26′ | Hope | 45 % | 20 % | 31 % | 18 % |
| 27.5 % | ≈ 32′ | Tension | 50 % | 18 % | 29 % | 16 % |
| 32.5 % | ≈ 38′ | Tension | 48 % | 24 % | 31 % | 11 % |
| 37.5 % | ≈ 44′ | Sadness | 50 % | 40 % | 46 % | 9 % |
| 42.5 % | ≈ 50′ | Empathy | 55 % | 45 % | 55 % | 11 % |
| 47.5 % | ≈ 56′ | Tension | 54 % | 34 % | 48 % | 13 % |
| 52.5 % | ≈ 61′ | Tension | 53 % | 31 % | 45 % | 18 % |
| 57.5 % | ≈ 67′ | Empathy | 54 % | 42 % | 50 % | 20 % |
| 62.5 % | ≈ 73′ | Sadness | 55 % | 45 % | 49 % | 16 % |
| 67.5 % | ≈ 79′ | Hope | 49 % | 26 % | 35 % | 21 % |
| 72.5 % | ≈ 85′ | Hope | 49 % | 11 % | 30 % | 39 % |
| 77.5 % | ≈ 91′ | Love | 56 % | 15 % | 40 % | 50 % |
| 82.5 % | ≈ 97′ | Tension | 59 % | 35 % | 50 % | 42 % |
| 87.5 % | ≈ 102′ | Sadness | 70 % | 61 % | 64 % | 49 % |
| 92.5 % | ≈ 108′ | Love | 82 % | 73 % | 73 % | 70 % |
| 97.5 % | ≈ 114′ | Not enough subtitle evidence | Not enough subtitle evidence | Not enough subtitle evidence | Not enough subtitle evidence | Not enough subtitle evidence |
Oedipus
Rags to riches: The emotional tone rises from negative to positive.
Riches to rags: The emotional tone falls from positive to negative.
Man in a hole: The tone falls, then recovers.
Icarus: The tone rises, then falls.
Cinderella: The tone rises, falls, then rises again.
Oedipus: The tone falls, rises, then falls again.
AI reading of the film’s English subtitles (dialogue and sound cues) — not viewer votes. How we measure ↗
Kadri — your film companion
AIAsk anything about Ask the Dust. From the film’s own dialogue and FeelDB data, at your spoiler level.
Afterward Reveal viewer responses · may contain spoilers
Viewer responses about feelings after the title ended, separate from feelings while watching. No AI estimates.
0 responses so far
Feeling details appear after at least 3 viewers respond, to protect privacy.
Cast
Sally
Columbia Sweeper
Heilman
Denver Librarian
Harold the Bartender
Red Headed Girl
H. L. Mencken (voice)
Japanese Vegetable Man
Details
- Directed by
- Robert Towne, Robert Towne
- Written by
- Robert Towne, John Fante, Robert Towne
- Type
- Movies
- Released
- 2006
- Runtime
- 117 min
- Country
- Germany, United States
- Ratings
- Feels mostly
- Sadness
- Data updated
Where to watch
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Rent
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