Miami Vice

Based on the 1980s TV series by Anthony Yerkovich, Miami Vice is the story of two Miami police detectives who go undercover to deal with a drug dealer and drug trafficking that is happening in and out of Miami. Written for the screen and directed by Michael Mann, the film is a suspense-action thriller that follows two detectives who embark on a case that becomes highly dangerous as they also go into different paths to stop this drug dealer. Starring Colin Farrell, Jamie Foxx, Justin Theroux, Gong Li, Naomie Harris, Ciaran Hinds, Barry Shabaka Henley, Luis Tosar, John Hawkes, Eddie Marsan, and John Ortiz. Miami Vice is an evocative and gripping film from Michael Mann.

The film is about two detectives from Miami who help the FBI by going undercover as drug runners to meet with a drug lord over drug trafficking in and out of Miami as it explores a dark culture of drugs and crime. It’s a film with a simple premise yet Michael Mann doesn’t go for anything simple in terms of the execution in his screenplay as it explore the life of these two detective in James “Sonny” Crockett (Colin Farrell) and Ricardo “Rico” Tubbs (Jamie Foxx) as they both seen at the film’s opening sequence trying to nab a pimp until they get a call from one of their informants over an attempted bust gone bad. After meeting with FBI agent John Fujima (Ciaran Hinds), Crockett and Tubbs agree to help him nab drug cartel security official Jose Yero (John Ortiz) who is trying to continue his drug trafficking ring from Colombia and into the U.S for his boss Arcangel de Jesus Montoya (Luis Tosar).

Mann’s script play into the life that Crockett and Tubbs have as they often do jobs with other cops led by their superior Lt. Martin Castillo (Barry Shabaka Henley) while Tubbs is in a relationship with one of fellow detectives in Trudy Joplin (Naomie Harris). During their undercover work, Crockett meets Montoya’s financial adviser/lover Isabella (Gong Li) whom he would fall for as they begin an affair that eventually leads to trouble. Especially as they learn about what Montoya and Yero are doing and who they’re working with to get the drugs into the U.S. as it complicates matter including putting Crockett and Tubbs’ fellow detectives in danger.

Mann’s direction definitely has some elements of style yet also has this low-key approach into the presentation as it opens at a nightclub where Crockett, Tubbs, Joplin, and other detectives are set to bust a pimp as it goes straight into the action and not waste time. Shot on various locations including Miami as well as other locations in Uruguay, Paraguay, parts of South Florida, and on various Caribbean islands, Mann creates a world where drug trafficking feels like the norm with these gorgeous wide shots of the sea and Miami skylines at night along with shots of the jungles and other places the character go to. Mann’s usage of aerial shots and scenes set on the sea on speed boats and planes also help establish this world while he also makes Miami as a character in the film but not as this vibrant locale that is filled with parties and excitement. Instead, he aims for something far darker and grittier as much of the scenes in Miami are shot at night with few scenes shot in the day as Mann prefers to showcase few of the cities famous sites in favor of just using it as a backdrop and go into parts of the city that not many are aware of.

Mann’s usage of close-ups and medium shots help play into the interaction with the characters but also in the suspense that include a showdown between a group of rednecks and the Miami PD where Detective Gina Calabrese (Elizabeth Rodriguez) is shown in a close-up with fierce intensity as she knows whether the person who wants to kill everyone really can do it but she knows he’s bluffing as she is intent on putting a bullet in his head. Mann also knows when to break from the action as it play into the persona lives of Crockett and Tubbs with the former engaging into this affair with Isabella that would eventually cause trouble. The climatic showdown between the Miami PD and Yero’s men is bloody as there is this great build up to the suspense in the medium shots and close-ups to capture all of the action and violence that is thrilling and dangerous. Especially in what is at stake while the ending is filled with ambiguity into the fates of a few characters but also the reality of the drug culture and what some do to survive. Overall, Mann crafts an intoxicating yet visceral film about the life and work of two Miami police detectives going undercover to stop a drug lord’s empire.

Cinematographer Dion Beebe does incredible work with the film’s cinematography as it is shot largely on digital video to capture some of the grimy look of the city as well as some of the vibrancy in the hand-held shots as well as not aim for anything overtly stylized in favor of something low-key and realistic. Editors William Goldenberg and Paul Rubell do excellent work with the film’s editing as it has some stylish usage of jump-cuts as it also play into some unconventional rhythms in the cutting to play into the suspense and drama. Production designer Victor Kempster, with set decorator Jim Erickson plus art directors Carlos Menendez and Seth Reed, does brilliant work with the look of the some of the homes of the Miami PD’s informers as well as the lavish home of Montoya and the casino that Yero runs. Costume designers Michael Kaplan and Janty Yates do fantastic work with some of the stylish clothes that Crockett and Tubbs wear when they go undercover as well as the posh designer clothes that Isabella wears.

Special effects makeup artists Jake Garber and Harrison Lorenzana do superb work with the look of a few characters during some of the film’s violent moments as well as the look of the Aryan gang that work with Yero. Special effects supervisor Rick Thompson and visual effects supervisor Robert Staad do terrific work with visual/special effects as it help play into the action along with some bits of set-dressing in some of the visual effects. Sound designers Elliott Koretz and Tak Ogawa do amazing work with the sound in capturing the sounds of gunfire, boat engines, and the atmosphere of the locations as it help play into the suspense and intrigue that is rampant throughout the film. The film’s music by John Murphy is wonderful for its somber and ambient-based score with some pulsating electronic-based themes that help add to the suspense while music supervisor Vicki Hiatt provides a nice music soundtrack that feature a mixture of ambient, hip-hop, rock, soul, Latin music, and electronic music from Goldfrapp, Audioslave, India.Arie, Mogwai, Nina Simone, Moby with Patti LaBelle, King Britt, Linkin Park w/ Jay-Z, and Emilio Estefan as well as an awful cover of Phil Collins’ In the Air Tonight by Nonpoint.

The casting by Francine Maisler is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles and performances from Isaach de Bankole as a pimp Crockett and Tubbs try to nab early in the film, Eddie Marsan as an informant who gives the Miami PD some information, Tom Towles as an American dealer in Nicholas who is aligned with a group of Aryan drug dealers, Domenick Lombardozzi and Justin Theroux in their respective roles as Miami detectives in Stan Switek and Larry Zito who help Crockett and Tubbs with their work, Elizabeth Rodriguez as Detective Gina Calabrese who is a no-nonsense woman that is also dangerous but reliable, John Hawkes as an informant in Alonzo Stevens who calls Crockett and Tubbs early in the film as he makes a chilling discovery that puts him in trouble, and Luis Tosar in a terrific performance as the drug lord Arcangel de Jesus Montoya who runs an empire and wants to control all of Miami. Ciaran Hinds is superb as FBI agent John Fujima as a man who had accidentally ruined Crockett and Tubbs’ case early in the film as he decides to help them to try and stop Montoya despite his dislike towards them.

Barry Shabaka Henley is fantastic as Lt. Martin Castillo as Crockett and Tubbs’ superior who is the mediator between them and Fujima as well as being someone who is aware of what is going on as well as be a father figure of sorts for the team. John Ortiz is excellent as Montoya’s security agent Jose Yero as a man that at first is believed to run an empire yet is someone who watches over Montoya’s drugs and shipments while is also someone extremely dangerous as he grows suspicious towards Crockett and Tubbs. Naomie Harris is brilliant as Detective Trudy Joplin as a detective who also gathers intelligence and information for others while is also Tubbs’ lover as she grounds him while she deals with her own troubles as a detective. Gong Li is amazing as Isabella as Montoya’s financial adviser/lover who works with Crockett and Tubbs only to engage into an affair with the former that eventually becomes troublesome as she copes with falling for Crockett but also handling business for Montoya and Yero.

Finally, there’s the duo of Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx in incredible performances in their respective roles as James “Sonny” Crockett and Ricardo “Rico” Tubbs. Both Farrell and Foxx bring a grounded and reserved approach to their characters with Farrell being a bit more dangerous once Crockett has an affair with Isabella making Tubbs uneasy. Foxx is more no-nonsense but is also someone who can do negotiations the right way and win over dealers through his charm and wit. Farrell and Foxx also provide that air of toughness to their characters when it comes to doing their jobs as they both provide the grittiness that the characters needed for the film.

Miami Vice is an incredible film from Michael Mann that features top-notch leading performances from Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx. Along with its supporting ensemble cast, Dion Bebe’s gorgeous photography, emphasis on realism, and John Murphy’s intoxicating score. The film is definitely a low-key yet more reserved approach to the suspense-drama and detective film while not aiming to be a direct remake/homage to the TV series with Mann wanting to do something entirely different yet engaging. In the end, Miami Vice is a remarkable film from Michael Mann.

Michael Mann Films: (The Jericho Mile) – Thief (1981 film) - (The Keep) – Manhunter - (L.A. Takedown) – The Last of the Mohicans - (Heat) – (The Insider) – Ali - Collateral - Public Enemies - Blackhat - (The Auteurs #74: Michael Mann)

© thevoid99 2020

American Psycho

Based on the novel by Bret Easton Ellis, American Psycho is the story of a yuppie whose vanity and need to conform has him embarking on a killing spree as he struggles with himself and his desires to succeed during the late 1980s. Directed by Mary Harron and screenplay by Harron and Guinevere Turner, the film is a study of a man trying to a rich yet unrealistic lifestyle as he would also kill in secret as a way to deal with troubled identity as the lead character of Patrick Bateman is played by Christian Bale. Also starring Chloe Sevigny, Reese Witherspoon, Jared Leto, Samantha Mathis, Josh Lucas, Cara Seymour, Matt Ross, Justin Theroux, Guinevere Turner, and Willem Dafoe. American Psycho is an exhilarating yet insane film from Mary Harron.

The film follows an investment banker in Patrick Bateman who lives a life of luxury where he has a routine to maintain his lifestyle that includes having friends who are just as shallow as he is while is secretly harboring a need to kill people. It’s the study of a man who is becoming undone by things that are either threatening him or encountering something he absolutely despises. The film’s screenplay by Mary Harron and Guinevere Turner is told from Bateman’s perspective as he’s also the film’s narrator as this man that is quite vain and has this routine in what he needs to do to keep himself in shape and not age. At the same time, he has this desire to succeed but he always feel like there is someone to upstage him in this position of power and he has to act out. Bateman is quite a despicable character in the way he would treat women and colleagues as well as those who are beneath him. There is also this air of arrogance and narcissism in him in the way he talks about certain pieces of music he owns or the clothes he wears.

The script also has this air of dark humor such as the scene where he invites Paul Allen (Jared Leto) into his apartment where he asks Allen if he likes Huey Lewis & the News. The monologues that Bateman gives about his love for Lewis, Genesis, Phil Collins, and Whitney Houston are among some of the finest monologues as they’re told with a sense of style. All of it play into Bateman’s persona which is also filled with anguish during the second act when he invites his secretary Jean (Chloe Sevigny) to dinner as they have drinks at his apartment where he wants to kill her but he’s also listening to her talk. It’s a moment where things would shift not just in tone but also in Bateman’s development as it blur the lines between reality and fiction.

Harron’s direction definitely bears element of style yet it plays more into this world of materialism, conformity, and decadence that was so prevalent during the 1980s. Though it is based in New York City, much of the film was shot in Toronto with some exterior shots of New York City to play into this very intense world of money and power. While there are some wide shots that Harron would create to establish some of the locations, much of it shot with close-ups and medium shots to get a look into the world that Bateman has surrounded himself in. Notably in the restaurants as they play to the silliest of trends where one menu is presented in braille, another menu at a different restaurant where the menu is made of wood, and all of these other places to play into a New York City that is filled with a lack of realism. It adds to this air of ambiguity that looms throughout the film as it relates to the things Bateman wants to do where reality and fiction blur. One scene early in the film is at a nightclub where he tried to get a drink and then says something very profane about killing the bartender to the mirror and then do nothing.

Harron’s direction also has this element of dark humor such as a scene of Bateman displaying this monologue about Huey Lewis & the News while wearing a raincoat and carrying an axe to kill someone. Other comical moments involve a three-way with a couple of prostitutes where Bateman is videotaping the act while looking at himself showing that vanity into his own power. The moments of violence are gruesome as it includes an encounter with a homeless man and his dog as well as these off-screen moments that play into Bateman’s thirst for blood. The film’s ending is also ambiguous as it play into that blur of fantasy and reality as well as Bateman forcing to face himself in this world that demands so much of him. Overall, Harron crafts a witty yet intoxicating film about a yuppie’s desire to conform to materialistic society as well as killing his way to succeed.

Cinematographer Andrezj Sekula does excellent work with the film’s cinematography to play into the sheen and slick look of some of the daytime interiors with some unique lighting and moods for some of the scenes set at night. Editor Andrew Marcus does brilliant work with the editing as it has elements of style in its usage of rhythmic cuts to play into the suspense and humor. Production designer Gideon Ponte, with set decorator Jeanne Develle and art director Andrew M. Stearn, does amazing work with the look of the apartments as well as the look of the restaurants. Costume designer Isis Mussenden does fantastic work with the costumes from the designer suits that the men wear to some of the fashionable dresses of the women.

Key hairstylists Lucy M. Orton and John Quaglia do terrific work with the hairstyles of the women that was so common in the 80s to the very slick look of the men. Sound designer Benjamin Cheah and sound editor Jane Tattersall do superb work with the sound as it play into the atmosphere of the clubs and some of the intimate sounds in some of the apartments. The film’s music by John Cale is wonderful for its mixture of orchestral bombast to play into the suspense as well as a mixture of somber piano pieces and some ambient cuts while music supervisors Barry Cole and Christopher Covert create an incredible soundtrack that feature a lot of the music from those times from acts like Huey Lewis & the News, Genesis, Phil Collins, New Order, Chris de Burgh, Simply Red, Curiosity Killed the Cat, Robert Palmer, Book of Love, Katrina and the Waves, Information Society, and M/A/R/R/S as well as additional music from Daniel Ash, David Bowie, the Cure, Eric B. & Rakim, and the Tom Club.

The casting by Kerry Barden, Billy Hopkins, and Suzanne Smith is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles from Reg E. Cathey as a homeless man, Anthony Lemke as a colleague that Allen mistakes him as Bateman, Krista Sutton as a prostitute named Sabrina, Guinevere Turner as a friend of Bateman in Elizabeth who would engage into a threesome with another hooker and Bateman, Bill Sage as a colleague of Bateman in David Van Patten, Josh Lucas as another colleague in the smarmy Craig McDermott, Justin Theroux as Bateman’s colleague Timothy Bryce who is having an affair with Bateman’s fiancée Evelyn, and Matt Ross as a colleague in Luis Carruthers who is dating Courtney as he also has a secret of his own. Samantha Mathis is fantastic as Bateman’s mistress Courtney Rawlinson whom he’s having an affair with as she is someone that has been doing too many drugs.

Reese Witherspoon is superb as Bateman’s fiancée Evelyn as a socialite who is eager to get married while having her time engaging an affair with Bryce. Cara Seymour is excellent as Christie as a prostitute who would meet with Bateman on two different occasions as she copes with what she had gotten herself into as well as her discovery in the second encounter. Jared Leto is brilliant as Paul Allen as top colleague of Bateman who is the envy of everyone in terms of the look of his card and being able to get things while confusing Bateman for someone else. Willem Dafoe is amazing as Detective Donald Kimball as a man who is investigating the disappearance of someone as he suspects Bateman through a couple of interrogations as well as be curious about what Bateman does.

Chloe Sevigny is remarkable as Jean as Bateman’s secretary who endures some of Bateman’s criticism over fashion choice as she is later invited to dinner with him where she provides a moment that is quite human as well as kind of understand the pressure Bateman is in to conform. Finally, there’s Christian Bale in a magnificent performance as Patrick Bateman as this man in his late 20s that is determined to be the embodiment of success as he also copes with his desire to kill as well to display everything he’s about as it’s a charismatic yet eerie performance from Bale that is definitely iconic as well as funny.

American Psycho is a phenomenal film from Mary Harron that features as spectacular performance from Christian Bale. Along with its ensemble cast, a killer soundtrack, dazzling visuals, witty satire, and complex themes of vanity, conformity, and identity. It’s a film that offers so much in the entertainment aspects but also serves as an intriguing character study of a man coming to grips with reality and his desires to succeed by any means necessary. In the end, American Psycho is a tremendous film from Mary Harron.

Related: (Less Than Zero) – (The Rules of Attraction)

Mary Harron Films: (I Shot Andy Warhol) – (The Notorious Bettie Page) – (The Moth Diaries) – (The Anna Nicole Story) – (Alias Grace)

© thevoid99 2017

INLAND EMPIRE

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 10/13/07.

2001's Mulholland Drive brought David Lynch his most acclaimed and successful film to date that included Best Director nomination at the Oscars and sharing the Best Director prize at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival with Joel Coen for The Man Who Wasn't There. Following the film's success, Lynch took a break to work on various, experimental side projects, supervising the releases of his films on DVD, and other ventures. During this time as digital filmmaking was the new thing, Lynch took notice as his he used digital video for a few of short, experimental projects. The result of the experiments gave Lynch the idea for his next feature-film which was a return to his love of experimental films in the 2006 film INLAND EMPIRE.

Written, directed, produced, shot, edited, and sound designed by David Lynch, INLAND EMPIRE is a three-hour experimental film that emphasizes Lynch's love for the unconventional while doing the film entirely on digital video. Yet, the film Lynch describes is that it's about a woman who is in trouble. The main plot though is about an actress who is working on a film in Europe whose perception of reality is altered into a different world. Shot in parts in Los Angeles to culminate a film trilogy that began with 1997's Lost Highway and 2001's Mulholland Drive, the film conveys the eerie world of Los Angeles, which has become Lynch's adopted home. The film also marks a long-awaited reunion between Lynch and actress Laura Dern who starred in 1986's Blue Velvet and 1990's Wild at Heart as she plays the film's leading role.

With an all-star cast that includes Lynch regulars Justin Theroux, Grace Zabriskie, Harry Dean Stanton, Laura Harring, Diane Ladd, and the voices of Naomi Watts, Laura Harring, and Scott Coffey from Lynch's Rabbits project. The cast also includes appearances from William H. Macy, Julia Ormond, Nastassjia Kinski, Jordan Ladd, Ben Harper, and Jeremy Irons. INLAND EMPIRE is a strange, surreal, eerie film from David Lynch.

When a neighbor (Grace Zabriskie) decides to meet with actress Nikki Grace (Laura Dern), Grace reluctantly invites her where the neighbor says some strange, cryptic things that would haunt Grace. After years of not getting big projects or any material that she would love to work on, Grace finally gets a big film part working with a guy named Devon (Justin Theroux) and under the direction of a man named Kingsley (Jeremy Irons). Though Nikki and Devon managed to be great friends, Devon receives warning to not embark on an affair, particularly due to Nikki's Polish husband. When rehearsals for their new film begins, Kingsley along with his assistant Freddy (Harry Dean Stanton) reveal that the film they're making is a remake of an unfinished film.

Rehearsals go fine until Nikki sees someone as she and Devon eventually learn about mysterious things concerning the original, unfinished film. Things start to go well during rehearsal as Nikki plays a woman named Sue and Devon plays a man named Billy. Yet, as filming progressed, the world of reality and fiction start to blur where Nikki begins an affair with Devon but in the name of their characters. Suddenly, Nikki notices that she starts to see things in her character Sue. Then one day when Nikki goes grocery shopping, she finds a symbol and enters a door where she's taken to a strange, dark reality. Suddenly, she's Sue as she finds herself in parts of Poland and another part of Los Angeles where she's now living in an apartment with prostitutes.

Sitting in the apartment, she also finds herself having conversations with a man named Mr. K (Erik Crary) as the conversations get stranger and stranger. Eventually, living with the hookers start to take its toll as they often break into choreographed dance numbers where she finds herself stuck in the world. Finally, she finds Billy and have a confrontation with his wife (Julia Ormond) as the world starts to get stranger. Now a hooker, Sue tries to find out about the young woman (Karolina Gruszka) who is watching her from the TV where suddenly, Nikki would return to enter strange worlds including a sitcom called Rabbits while trying to save the life of this young woman.

The film's plot line is simple which is about a woman in trouble. Yet, the plot line isn't simple as it seems. Even from a mind as surreal and loose as David Lynch. The film starts off with a black-and-white shot of record playing and a crying young woman watching Lynch's 2002 online sitcom Rabbits. A lot of these things plus subplots involving Eastern European crime world are thrown in to break from the film's main plot. Yet, the result is Lynch definitely rallying against convention. Whether's it's a traditional film narrative, satire, or anything that's traditional with any kind of films. Lynch is basically throwing away all of these ideas.

Serving as the writer, director, producer, editor, cinematographer, sound designer, and music composer along with cues by Krzysztof Penderecki. The film is definitely Lynch taking control of everything with additional contribution from cinematographer Peter Deming on lighting cues and George Koran on digital coloring. More importantly, Lynch abandons the idea of shooting on film and replacing it with digital video. A lot of the interiors Lynch shoots is almost in a Dogme 95-like fashion where it's all hand-held and in natural lighting most of the time. It's also very stylized through his eerie direction. While the look does have a grainy film on the film's exterior sequences, they work to convey the atmosphere Lynch is conveying. Even as he's improvising along the way since he did the film without a completed script and things are made up along the way.

That sense of improvisation and spontaneity really adds a fresh style to the film though it's Lynch experimenting. Not everything Lynch does work as the pacing at times tends to lag. Even in a film that is three hours where it tests the audience patience. Things get repetitive and meanders a bit. Yet, it's part of what Lynch is trying to do with the film because of his themes of reality versus fiction. In many ways, Lynch is going back further to the days of his debut film Eraserhead 30 years before to return to his love of experimentation. Even through its grainy, digital photography and stylized, ominous editing, and eerie sound design with help from sound editor Ronald Eng. Lynch is definitely trying to create new things that audiences who want to see something new will enjoy.

Despite these experiments and Lynch being unconventional, the film still has a story and the story about a woman in trouble is definitely told. Though the narrative is told in an unconventional manner, the main story of Nikki/Sue entering into a strange world to understand. Yet, the audience is also being played on whether she's in a film within a film or is she in a different reality. It will confuse people but the elements of horror and mystery manages to make the whole experience into an incredible yet strange journey.

The film also has a parallel story of this young Polish woman in trouble as she is held by Polish crime lords while forced to watch things like the Rabbits sitcom and is playing what may be the observer. A lot of things Lynch is saying isn't easy to interpret and is definitely a mind-bender. Yet, the result of what Lynch is trying to do and how to present things through his loose script and eerie, surreal direction proves that he's still got something to say and is managing to challenge himself as a storyteller.

Helping Lynch with his presentation is set decorator Melanie Rein and a team of art directors to bring different looks of Los Angeles from the posh world that Nikki lives to the decayed world that Sue lives in. Costume designers Karen Baird and Heidi Bivens brings a unique look from the varied clothes of the hookers to the posh-like clothing of Nikki/Sue. Lynch's score is mostly electronic driven to convey the sense of horror and suspense. The music of Krzysztof Penderecki also adds some suspense with his orchestral score that also features music from Nina Simone, Little Eva, and Etta James to add quirkiness to the film's soundtrack.

The film's cast is very unique and diverse with several cameo appearances from Lynch regulars like Diane Ladd as a talk-show host, Grace Zabriskie as a neighbor, Harry Dean Stanton as Kingsley's assistant Freddy, Laura Harring, Scott Coffey, and Naomi Watts appearing as voices in the Rabbits sitcom with Harring appearing at the end of the film. Other cameos include William H. Macy as an announcer, Mary Steenburgen as a visitor, Terry Crews as a homeless man, Ben Harper as a musician, Nastassjia Kinski as a friend at the end of the film, and Jordan Ladd as one of the hookers who does a dance routine in front of Sue. Karolina Gruszka is great as a crying young woman who is in trouble while Polish actors Jan Hencz and Krzysztof Majchrzak are great as Polish mob members with Peter J. Lucas as Nikki's troublesome husband. Julia Ormond is great as Billy's troubled wife Doris, Cameron Daddo as Devon’s manager, and Erik Crary as the eerie Mr. K.

Jeremy Irons is great as film director Kingsley Stewart, a director who hopes to do a remake justice while trying not to be cursed. Irons is perfect in the role of the director as he tries to make sure Nikki is in acting mode where as if she's fully in character. It's a great performance from Irons who rarely gives a bad performance. Lynch regular Justin Theroux is in excellent form as Devon Berk, an actor who is very friendly with Nikki and wants to maintain his professionalism. In the role of Billy Side, Theroux sports a Southern accent and acts like a man in love and is very desperate about his love for both Sue and Doris.

Laura Dern gives what has to be one of her greatest performances to date. Dern manages to be very charming and likeable in the role while delving into darker material. When she's Nikki, she carries the sense of optimism as an actress who's been out of the spotlight for a while and is given a chance to shine again. In the role of Sue, she has to dig deeper into figuring out what world she's in while wondering if everything she's seeing is real. Dern has to delve into other acting genres for the performance and it works in every level whether it's mystery or horror. It's a very complex, superb performance from Laura Dern who is being overlooked nowadays among her acting peers.

While INLAND EMPIRE isn't a great film that one would expect from David Lynch. The film is still an experience that is unparalleled with most feature films. Fans of Lynch's more experimental side will no doubt enjoy his new feature film as well as his attempts to break the rules. Fans of Laura Dern will also enjoy this for her brave, complex performance. Anyone who wants to be challenged by unconventional filmmaking should see this film. Yet, for a mainstream audience, this film is not for them. With its three-hour running time, pacing issues, and such, it's a film that they won't necessarily enjoy. In the end, INLAND EMPIRE is a surreal yet provocative film from David Lynch and company.

David Lynch Films: Eraserhead - The Elephant Man - Dune - Blue Velvet - Wild at Heart - Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me - Lost Highway - The Straight Story - Mulholland Dr.

The Short Films of David Lynch Pt. 1 - The Short Films of David Lynch Pt. 2 - The Music Videos of David Lynch

The Auteurs #50: David Lynch: Pt. 1 - Pt. 2 - Pt. 3 - Pt. 4

© thevoid99 2011

Mulholland Dr.

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 10/17/07 w/ Additional Edits.

Ever since 1977's Eraserhead, David Lynch has been a director that has always warped the mind of audiences. With films like Blue Velvet, Wild at Heart, The Elephant Man, Lost Highway, and the TV series Twin Peaks. Lynch has always been a storyteller who never tells his audience what his films were really about. In 1999, Lynch shocked his most devoted hardcore fans and his most hated detractors with a film that didn't have the Lynch-style of surrealistic images, weird characters, and complex storylines with the film The Straight Story. The straightforward film about an old man riding on a tractor to meet his dying brother touched fans and critics alike as Lynch moved forward into the 21st Century. By that point, he had become an elder statesman in film as he tried to create a new TV project that eventually was dropped. Yet, that project would become not only into a film but also one of his greatest entitled Mulholland Dr.

Written and directed by David Lynch, Mulholland Dr. tells the story of a Hollywood actress who has suffered amnesia after a car accident. Befriending a young, aspiring actress, they try to unravel the mystery of who she really is while a film director is trying to find the right girl for his new film. Eventually, the two would suddenly go into another world as different identities where things changed. A dark, layered film with twists and turns, the film is pure Lynch as he balanced both his love of experimental films and traditional genres into what would be his finest work yet. Starring Naomi Watts, Laura Elena Harring, Justin Theroux, Ann Miller, Dan Hedeya, Billy Ray Cyrus, and Robert Forster. Mulholland Dr. is a provocative yet hypnotic masterpiece from David Lynch and company.

Driving into the dark night on the Hollywood hills, an actress (Laura Elena Harring) is riding on a limo where it stopped when a man pulled a gun at her. Then suddenly, a car collided with the limo leaving almost everyone dead except for the actress who had a concussion on her head. Walking down to Hollywood, she lands herself in the home of an old actress named Ruth (Maya Bond), who was just leaving to work in Canada. Arriving to Ruth's home is her niece and aspiring actress named Betty (Naomi Watts). Betty meets the apartment's landlord Coco (Ann Miller) who gives her a tour of the complex. After settling in, Betty finds the actress in the shower as they later talk where the actress, who has no idea who she is, calls herself Rita.

Meanwhile, a film director named Adam Kesher (Justin Theroux) has lost his lead actress as a couple of mob brothers (Dan Hedeya and Angelo Badalamenti) suggest in using a woman named Camilla Rhodes (Melissa George). Kesher refuses as he later beats their limo with a golf club. Things only get worse when the studio head Mr. Roque (Michael J. Anderson) heard what has happened as he makes a decision to have Kesher's film shut down. Returning home, Kesher finds his wife sleeping with the cleaning pool man named Gene (Billy Ray Cyrus) as he stands to lose everything until he meets a mysterious cowboy (Monty Montgomery) later at night.

When Betty learns that Rita isn't a friend of her aunt, Rita reveals she has no idea who she is as her purse is filled with money and a blue key. The two decide to try and find some clues into her identity where at a restaurant, Rita remembers the name Diane Selwyn as the two try to continue their own investigation. When Betty gets called for an audition, she accepts as she auditioned for a producer (James Karen) that goes well even though the casting director though the material was awful. When Betty is accompanied by the casting director to look at the studio, she catches the eye of Adam Kesher during an audition. Betty leaves to go with Rita to continue their investigation as they find out where Diane lives and eventually, who she is. Rita, now fearing for her own life wears a disguise as she and Betty bond.

Then later that night, Rita says the word "Silencio" as she remembers about an event at a theater late in that night. The two women go to the event where they see numerous illusions including a woman (Rebekah del Rio) singing a devastating cover of Roy Orbison's Cryin' in Spanish. There, Betty finds a blue box in her purse where upon returning to their apartment, Rita gets the key and opens the box as the two women are then lead to a new reality where they both take on different identities and situations as Betty learns who Rita really is.

While many of David Lynch's films never reveal any kind of details into what it's really about, leaving the viewer to give an open interpretation. Mulholland Dr. is no exception since it has many elements of a Lynch film. It's got surreal images, strange characters, unrelated subplots, and a complex narrative. Yet, unlike these films, the film is a commentary on Hollywood and the industry on some aspects. Referring to a director wanting control as he is being pushed by a mob and an aspiring actress hoping to reach her dreams. The worlds that Lynch express isn't just the harsh reality of Hollywood but also the naive dream that one might have coming to that place. Yet, that's an idea of what the film is about, until the last 30 minutes of the film where things definitely change.

Again, it all comes down to Lynch's script and the interpretation of what the audience might have. Every scene, including the opening scene that involved a Gap-like commercial of people swing-dancing, and unrelated subplots that included a man having a strange dream and a hitman screwing things up are all important to what the film and its story is about. While there isn't a real plot to the film, the first two hours of the film definitely grabs the audience with its mix of irreverent humor, dreamy sequences, and its ode to the mystery genre. In those two hours, the film kind of pushes back and forth to the Betty/Rita scenes and then to the situation of Adam Kesher in his bid for control.

Then comes the last thirty-minutes of the film (which will not be revealed). Everything changes where both Betty and Rita play different people and the situations emphasizes a much harsher reality of not just Hollywood but also the relationships the two had in the last two hours of the film. Whereas the first two hours had this sense of naivete, it crashes down to something darker in order to give one of the characters a larger role to play. Even some of the dialogue that was uttered in the film early on is heard again but this time, from a very different interpretation. It's a twist that definitely changes the entire tone of the film in which, the audience has to think about what they have seen and what they really think happens.

All of the credit must go to Lynch for his emphasis to experiment on both structure and presentation. His eerie, evocative, and often surrealistic direction works on every level. In fact, everything he had done before must've given him the chance to use what he had done while maintaining his experimental side as well. The close-ups he has on some of the characters, notably their eyes, along with tracking shots, flashing lights, and eerie shots of Los Angeles all work to emphasize the tone of the film. Especially from the emotions of the characters who are going through these events in their lives. In that third and final act where everything has changed, Lynch definitely has a sense of detachment of where the camera is placed to emphasize the troubles of the person dealing with the harshness of reality. The result isn't just Lynch at his best but also in his mastery of the art of filmmaking.

Cinematographer Peter Deming brings an eerie style to his photography from the sharp, dreamy look of exterior Los Angeles at night to the intimate, sunshine look of the film's interior sequences. Deming's photography also includes some unique lighting from some of the interior scenes where only a red light is lit and in the theater sequences, a blue light is shimmering to convey the sense of suspense in the film. Deming's work is superb in every way as he gives Los Angeles a haunting look and tone. Editor Mary Sweeney brings a wonderful approach to the film's editing with its leisurely-paced tone while using dissolves, jump-cuts, and fade-outs to convey the film's unconventional tone.

Production designer Jack Fisk, known for his legendary work with Terrence Malick, and art director Peter Jamison create a unique look to the film with its posh-like set decorations that is pure Los Angeles with its apartment and mansions to objects that surrounds the place that includes the blue box and the red lamp at the home of Diane Selwyn. Costume designer Amy Stofsky also brings a unique look to the costumes from the casual, L.A. clothing the two female leads wear to the all-black clothes that Adam Kesher wears. Sound editor Ronald Eng and David Lynch on sound design definitely create a unique tone to the sound to convey the haunting atmosphere that is L.A. and all of strange wonders.

Longtime collaborator in composer Angelo Badalamenti brings a wonderfully haunting film score that is a mix of jazz, blues, electronic music, and orchestral that is wonderfully exquisite and haunting. Lynch and John Neff also add material to the film's soundtrack with its use of haunting electronic music to convey the darkness of Hollywood. With cuts from 50 acts like Connie Stevens and Linda Scott for an audition sequences, the most haunting and devastating track comes from Rebekah del Rio doing Roy Orbison's Cryin' in Spanish.

The film's cast is wonderfully assembled with notable performances from its diverse cast. Small performances from Patrick Fischler as a man named Dan, who is haunted by a dream is great as is Lynch regular Scott Coffey as a dinner guest, Michael J. Anderson as Mr. Roque, James Karen as a film producer, Lee Grant as Betty's strange neighbor who sees something bad in Rita, Maya Bond as Aunt Ruth, Mark Pellegrino as the incompetent hitman Joe, Missy Crider as a waitress, Jeanne Bates as an old woman named Irene whom Betty befriends early in the film with Dan Birnbaum as Irene's companion, Elizabeth Lackey as an auditioning actress named Carol, Melissa George as Camilla Rhodes, Katherine Towne as Kesher's secretary, and Lori Heuring as Kesher's cheating wife.

Other notable minor performances from Robert Forster in a one-scene appearance as Detective Harry McKnight is great for that brief moment as Forster continues to shine since his Oscar-nominated performance in Jackie Brown. Country music star Billy Ray Cyrus is very funny as the pool-cleaning guy Gene who manages to say some hilarious one-liners throughout the film. Lynch composer Angelo Badalamenti and Dan Hedeya are great as mob brothers who are very quiet with Badalamenti getting more to do, including a scene with an espresso. Ann Miller is great as Coco, a landlady who shows Betty around her apartment while warning her about the quirks and such that goes on. Miller also appears in the third act as a woman with the same name but a different background.

Justin Theroux is great as Adam Kesher, a director striving for control who is unaware of who runs the business and the lifeblood that is his work. Theroux is wonderfully engaging in every scene he's in while filling himself with sarcasm and sometimes, sadness as a director who ends up losing control and appears in the third act as a completely different person. Laura Elena Harring is wonderful as the exotic, beautiful Rita, who looks like a Hollywood actress while channeling all of the emotions one would expect from an amnesiac. Harring's performance is wonderful to watch as she and Naomi Watts have great chemistry as Harring also displays her sultry persona in the third and final act of the film.

The film's breakthrough definitely goes to Naomi Watts, who for years prior to this film had been struggling for attention while appearing in smaller films and bit parts in big films. In the role of Betty, Watts displays all of the innocence, perkiness, and naivete one would expect from a young actress wanting to make it in Hollywood. It's Watts' portrayal of that innocence that lights up the screen as her spirited, charming performance is amazing to watch. When she takes on a different character in the third, everything changes as Watts' appearance is more startling, her performance is more raw and decayed as she proves herself to not just be a complex actress but a force that was to be reckoned with in the years to come. If there was a star that came out of this film, it's Naomi Watts.

When the film premiered at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival, it received an excellent response from audiences and critics as Lynch shared the Best Director prize with Joel Coen for The Man Who Wasn't There. Upon its theatrical release later in the year, the film drew not only Lynch's best reviews but also box office as the director received another Oscar nomination for Best Director. Another surprise for the success of the film was a glowing, four-star review from Lynch's biggest detractor Roger Ebert who called the film one of the year's best. Following this success, it's clear that Lynch had finally attained the long, overdue respect and prestige that he's craved for all these years.

While some audiences might be confused by a lot of the film's complex narrative style, Mulholland Dr. is still an amazing, unconventional, and eerie film from David Lynch and company. With a great cast led by Naomi Watts, Laura Elena Harring, and Justin Theroux, it's a film that seeing it once isn't enough. It's a film that's worth watching over and over again to give out new interpretations. Fans of Lynch will no doubt consider this one of his quintessential films though it would also spark on whether this or other films are his best. In the end, for a wonderfully dreamy, complex, eerie mystery that doesn't play to conventions, David Lynch's Mulholland Dr. is the film to go see.

David Lynch Films: Eraserhead - The Elephant Man - Dune - Blue Velvet - Wild at Heart - Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me - Lost Highway - The Straight Story - INLAND EMPIRE

The Short Films of David Lynch Pt. 1 - The Short Films of David Lynch Pt. 2 - The Music Videos of David Lynch

The Auteurs #50: David Lynch: Pt. 1 - Pt. 2 - Pt. 3 - Pt. 4

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