Review of Mulholland Falls (1996) by Michael R — 08 Feb 2015

The glory days of the chain-smoking LA cops' "hat squad" are brought back in this stylish neo-noir conspiracy thriller. They represent a tough, no-nonsense approach to criminals, with just the right amount of smart-aleck humor thrown in (not annoyingly constant like The Expendables). Director Lee Tamahori captures all the atmospherics and details of the "atomic age." The cast is fantastic, led by emotional performances by Nolte and Griffith. Jennifer Connelly is a mesmerizing, enchanting beauty. She plays a world-wise girl who still manages to stay fresh-faced.

The spot-on recreation of LA's bygone glamour era, the conspiracy-laden plot, and the excellent cast highlight this film. I'm a sucker for neo-noir, and although this isn't quite Chinatown, it is a valiant effort. Tamahori and writers Dexter and Mutrux even chose to end the film on a down note. The squad's broken up, and Griffith leaves Nolte, exclaiming "You broke my heart, Max." Noirs shouldn't have happy endings.