I kind of liked this film, but I'm not overly enthusiastic about it after my initial viewing.
The film follows the title character following his release from prison as he tries to collect a fortune he believes he's owed, get back into the safe-cracking business, and repair his relationship with his daughter. The film winds its way through these various stories at a leisurely pace, and they rarely connect with one another. This is a deliberate move by the filmmakers, who are seeking to make a 'slice of life' film rather than commit to a single cohesive narrative. Sections of the film are even separated from one another, each given its own subtitle against a blank screen. Normally aimless films like this aren't my cup of tea, but I found that "Dom Hemingway" had a bit more aim than most. Although the various plots were often tackled one at a time, there were hints given as to what was to come, giving the film at least the appearance of direction.
There are some tonal inconsistencies at play, and I'm not sure if they work. At first glance, they shouldn't. Some elements early in the film are quite over the top, in stark contrast to some of the later, character driven scenes between Dom and his daughter. It was a little jarring, but not as much as might be expected. I really think I would need to see the film a second time to judge. I think there might be something about the film I couldn't fully "get" in just one viewing, and I wonder if a second might make its shifts in tone and wandering storyline congeal enough to reveal a deeper artistic intent. I won't get around to seeing it again for quite a while, but eventually I may. Some humorous scenes and Jude Law's performance (a lot of range is required to pull of the changes in tone) should make an eventual second viewing worthwhile.
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