Arturo Bandini (Colin Farrell MIAMI VICE) is a down-&-out writer in 1930s Los Angeles who dreams of making it big He begins a relationship with Camilla Lopez (Salma Hayek TIMECODE) a waitress who also wants to rise above her station Of Italian origin Arturo decides to move to Los Angeles to write his first novel & to escape his roots With little money he moves into a shabby guest house populated by a number of eccentric characters & develops writer's block Arturo meets fiery Mexican waitress Camilla in a cafe & the two soon trade insults An intense courtship develops despite Arturo wanting a relationship with a blue eyed blonde woman & Camilla wanting a relationship with a rich white American man Arturo & Camilla seek to overcome the shame they feel over their ethnicity & forge a strong relationship Written for the screen & directed by Robert Towne--the Oscar winning writer of CHINATOWN--ASK THE DUST is a sumptuous period piece that shows Depression-era Los Angeles as a grand & lonely place The tale of passion & prejudice greatly benefits from the sizzling chemistry between Farrell & Hayek & ASK THE DUST is a stunningly shot film