content: "The Black Dahlia" is a mess. Everything's impressive and nothing is right. It seems like Aaron Eckhart's character should be played with more darkness, like Josh Hartnett's character should be played with less boyishness, like Scarlett Johannson's character should be more emotionally complex. The story is convoluted and the storytelling is awkward. I can explain the film's core storylines, but to tie everything together is a task beyond me. There is one person involved who deserves praise: Mia Kirshner, who portrays the thin, secondary character of Elizabeth Short with surprising emotional depth. Brian De Palma's original three-hour cut supposedly was a horse of a different color. The cut with which we're presented is boring, absurd, and unpleasant.