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Overall Rating
 Awesome: 56.67%
Worth A Look: 18.79%
Just Average: 8.79%
Pretty Crappy: 6.36%
Sucks: 9.39%
13 reviews, 252 user ratings
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Mulholland Drive |
by Bishop
"W-E-I-R-D!!!"

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Writer/Director David Lynch returns to the cinematic abstract expression/surrealism that marked such efforts as Blue Velvet, and the "what the hell was that?" piece Lost Highway. In Mullholland Drive, Lynch again explores weird film noir territory that falls somewhere between the Wizard of Oz and The Twilight Zone.The movie opens with a limo ride which turns into a thing gone wrong for all paties involved, and we meet the Harring character (Rita). We are then introduced to the Naomi Watts character, just rolling into Hollywood in search of stardom, or at least work in acting. Watts character (Betty) soon finds that she has a guest staying with her in the home of her aunt, (Rita). This guest has amnesia, and mysterious circumstances surround her story. Juxtaposed somewhere within this is a story of a director whose movie is becoming strangely out of his control. We think that this director may somehow be connected to the amnesiac played by Harring. Betty and Rita then engage in the sort of amatuer slueth practices employed Kyle MacLachlan and Laura Dern in Blue Velvet, trying to uncover the identity and circumstances surrounding Rita and what she was doing on Mullholland Drive. What ensues is full-scale weirdness of the Lost Highway variety, as the audience is taken back-n-forth between what may just be one big dream (nightmare) and an almost equally weird real life. If so, which is which? This movie hangs tight for a while, and we think that we may witness a sensical resolution that we can easily stomach and interpret (for a David Lynch picture anyhow), but as "things" come to light we realize just how twisted "things" really are. Like Lost Highway, this movie leaves much room for audience interpretation and imagination. Plot exists, but what the hell is going on? I liked this film, for reasons I cannot really place my finger on. Perhaps its cinematography and classic film noir air. Naomi Watts gives a serious breakout performance as well, her career should be watched with interest. As I said I enjoyed this film, even if I haven't quite pieced every aspect of it together to make it make sense, if only for me. This film leaves much room for interpretation, so if you like that sort of thing this is definitely for you. Lynch fans will no doubt be pleased with this effort as it par for his extremely unorthodox course.I am giving this movie Four Stars because it is "Worth a Look." I did not find it as easily digestible as I thought, seeing as how many who normally have a bone of contention with Lynch enjoyed the film. This film will definitely leave you thinking, and if you can piece it all together into one logical, collective unit; then more power to you. I'm still working on that one myself.
link directly to this review at https://www.hollywoodbitchslap.com/review.php?movie=5544&reviewer=289 originally posted: 04/12/02 19:26:34
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USA 19-Oct-2001 (R)
UK N/A
Australia 31-Jan-2002
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