Review of Mulholland Drive (2001) by Manicure — 22 Nov 2020

"Mulholland Drive" is by far the most complete expression of David Lynch's cinema. It has everything that made his films memorable but still manages to be accessible for most viewers (you will need to rewatch a couple of times, but at least we are far from the apparent close-to-nonsense of "Inland Empire"). A lot of people claim that the last 45 minutes prevented the film from becoming a real masterpiece and made it confusing for the sake of it, but it's quite the opposite. Surely the unsettling and surreal atmosphere that permeates the film is valuable, but those last 45 minutes are the ones that give a real weight and meaning to so many details and lines. They are essential to save the first half from being just a cheesy mystery movie with a unique atmosphere.

It has been one of my favorite movies for ages, but it took me over fifteen years to finally relate to the character. I guess I am finally old enough to feel the bitter taste of failure and self-delusion.