Review of Maps to the Stars (2014) by Rob V — 21 Oct 2014

In the ending credits of Maps to the Stars, a short note reminds us that the film is a work of fiction and that, of course, any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. And by the time that message rolls around, we hope to God it's true. Despite its satirical nature, it's practically devastating to watch David Cronenberg's latest black comedy with any trace of reality in mind.

So dark it makes us almost guilty for laughing, the film follows a washed-up actress and an astoundingly dysfunctional family in the tragic universe of downtown Los Angeles. Havana Segrand (Julianne Moore) is dying to be cast as her own abusive mother in an up-and-coming art film. Her newest recruit in a chain of personal assistants is the mysterious Agatha (Mia Wasikowska), a burn victim in whom Havana sees the spirit of her mother who perished in a fire years ago. Agatha's connection to LA becomes clear eventually, as her relationship to teen actor Benji (a spoiled, rehabilitated brat experiencing visions of dead children) is revealed.

Maps to the Stars is at once both superficial and complicated, relying on the truth inherent in the over-used Hollywood cliché. It has no characters, merely a collection of narcissistic and utterly insane lost souls trapped in cages of their own making. As writer Bruce Wagner puts it, the film is "not a satire. It's more of a metaphysical burlesque in a graveyard." If that doesn't prepare you for Maps to the Stars, nothing will - and perhaps nothing should.

It's a devastating portrait that makes us question the extent of human cruelty and sanity, as well as the narcissism inherent to the very ideas of art, entertainment, and death. But while all that is seeping into our brains, we're laughing. We're laughing at abuse, we're laughing at incest, we're laughing at murder, and we're laughing at a world with a complete and utter lack of human empathy. It's unsettling, cringe-inducing, terrifying and tragically hilarious.

Julianne Moore, Mia Wasikowska, and Olivia Williams each give incredible performances, always remaining to stay just shy of total caricature. If you're a big fan of Cronenberg, Moore, or you just want to see how it's possible to want to giggle and cringe at the same time, Maps to the Stars is a must-see. But a word to the wise from Wagner: "The road to hell is paved with laughter.".