Review of Mulholland Drive (2001) by Spangle — 21 May 2015

I was hesitant coming into this one as my only prior exposure to David Lynch was Wild at Heart, which I completely despised. However, this one is decidedly better and most certainly worthy of the praise heaped upon it. Featuring a great starring turn from the always stellar Naomi Watts and great direction from Lynch, Mulholland Dr seems to be great proof that Lynch hates his audience and typical storytelling conventions, which make for a great combination in this film. One of the most confusing puzzles I have ever come across in film, Mulholland Dr has some seriously great writing and manages to have numerous moving parts that it brings together quite nicely. Not all the pieces fit and it is hard to determine what the puzzle is actually of, but there's an answer somewhere. What the answer is, I have no idea, because I have no idea what I do not know at this point. The film really manages to set you up nicely and the pull the rug right out from under you with constant twists and turns that you do not expect that makes coming to a conclusion about what you just witnessed all the more difficult. All I know is that something sinister is afoot in Hollywood in this film that feels like a nightmare from beginning to end.

*SPOILERS*.

The best conclusion I can come up with is just a fragment of a singular conclusion. For one, it is certainly a comment on people coming to Hollywood who are entirely idealistic and how Hollywood corrupts them, messes with their mind, and makes them entirely jaded. In Hollywood, things seem to happen at random, but rather, they are controlled by a single entity who oversees everything and determines who will have success and who will not have success. The haves and have nots are ultimately determined by who gives in to those in power. If you do, your wildest dreams will come true. However, at the end of the day, to me the key to unlocking this box (lol) is Club Silencio. From that moment in the film on, things certainly take a turn and to fully understand this one, I think that serves as a good starting point. The answer is somewhere there, but what the answer is, I have no idea.

*END SPOILERS*.

Ultimately, Mulholland Dr is a fun film to sit down and try to dissect. It's a beautiful work that deserves the praise it has received in spades and will certainly be a film that keeps me thinking for a while after its ending.