Review of Mulholland Dr. (1999) by Wade H — 31 Aug 2016
Similar to Tarkovsky's "The Mirror", I found this a very difficult film to rate. After watching the film, I was upset because I had endured 147 minutes of a disjointed "art" film. Having minored in cinema at university, I sat through a number of these productions and most of them were bad. However, I knew there was more to this than I could understand in one sitting and decided to reserve my judgement. As I read the multitude of online reviews praising this as a 10/10, and one the greatest film of all time, etc. I decided to make sense of what I just viewed. Naomi Watts is brilliant as the protagonist.
It is clear to me that most critics and amateur reviewers simply find it easy to ascribe a "perfect 10" to this film so they don't feel out of place with the rest of the Bohemian, artsy mass consensus. I do not think this is nearly one of the greatest films of all time. Then again, this is Lynch, and the viewer needs to understand that going into the movie. He will taunt and design a mind warp because that is his signature and audiences that have become a cult following expect it. Lych conveys a story and feelings in a radically different and unconventional style, which starkly contrasts the "Hollywood" fundamental of storytelling through the cinematic medium.
What I find unnecessary is the disjointed plot and leaving the viewer to impossibly put the pieces together. I read websites that try to explain this film and they still come up blank on most of the scenes, although the general story may be deciphered.
Would this film stand up if it was simply told in a chronological manner like 99% of other films? Likely not. Perhaps this means the film is not that good and Lynch instead relies on the disjointedness to compensate.
This is the type of film that requires more than one viewing. Each time, one will respect it more as artwork and realize its subtle qualities. It does have one quality of a truly great and exceptional film - it lingers with the viewer well after watching.
This review of Mulholland Dr. (1999) was written by Wade H on 31 Aug 2016.
Mulholland Dr. has generally received very positive reviews.
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