Review of Hollywoodland (2006) by Sam B — 17 Nov 2008

The true crime conspiracy film has long since been a favorite among film makers and has offered a long list of pieces varying in quality, with JFK seated firmly at the top of the tree. More recently Hollywood has committed itself firmly down this path with a list of big name period pieces exposing the dark heart of Tinsel town and the poor souls who were destroyed by the business, the majority of which are so-so.

The latest edition to this mediocre list is Allen Coulter's Hollywoodland, a dramatic investigation into the death of late Superman television actor George Reeves. Switching erratically between present and past, the story follows the exploits of a crooked two-bit PI (Adrienne Brody) whilst reliving several key moments from Reeves' (Ben Affleck's) life.

With its period tongue shoved prominently into its cheek, Hollywood shines with more than a few shades of Brian De Palma's The Black Dahlia (though never quite managing to be so engaging) and can best be described as a reverse Zodiac in that whereas Zodiac started well but trailed off towards the end, Hollywoodland starts too slow but builds a good momentum in the second half.

Artistically however, Hollywoodland is a clumsy affair. Simply desaturating the present day scenes of the film seems ineffectual when the majority of the flashbacks use an earthen colour scheme and the editing is such that the drama changes tempo right on the cusp of becoming interesting. The performances from the leads are also rather depressing. Whilst it was expected that Affleck would blow hot and cold - inspired on minute and wooden the next - it is truly a sad sight to see Adrienne Brody in a role which doesn't suit him. Brody's usual sobre those sympathetic victim of circumstance spiel - which previously won him an Oscar in The Pianist and earned him extra kudos in the otherwise analogue The Jacket - just proves ineffectual for a character who is too corrupt and despicable to care about and Brody is left floundering for no fault of his own.

All in all Hollywoodland promises so much and gives so little. Even the multi-facited ending which argues how the simplest explanation is inevitable the right one acts in the films detriment by making the audience feel cheated and leaves them questioning why there was any need to make the film. The suspicious death of George Reeves was indeed a worthy subject but it was the subject for a doumentary which would do away with any drab backstory and leave us with what we the audience needs: the facts. Just the facts.