236. Mulholland Dr.

Mulholland Dr. (2001)

Director: David Lynch

Starring: Naomi Watts

Laura Elena Harring

Justin Theroux

IMDb Rating: 7.9

My Rating: 9

"Silencio..."

The first time I saw Mulholland Dr. was at the Enzian Theater in Winter Park, Florida. At the conclusion of the film, something very strange happened. The majority of the theater walked out in just utter confusion. The remaining fifteen or so patrons gathered around a few tables, and began to talk out the film. We all went around and said what we thought the film meant. I knew none of the people before that night, and I have not spoken to any of them since. No one that night had a clear grasp of the film. Although, it is one of my favorite memories at the movies. It wasn't until a week later, that I met with my friend James Brendlinger, and got the explanation I had been looking for. Following this entry, James Brendlinger will be guest blogging his explanation of the film. So please look forward to that.

A car accident occurs in the Hollywood hills. A beautiful woman (Laura Elena Harring) escapes from a destroyed limousine. She does not appear to be seriously injured, but she cannot not remember anything including her own name. She stumbles to the valley below and falls asleep in some bushes. In the morning, she wakes up and sneaks into an apartment to seek shelter. Betty Elmes (Naomi Watts) has just landed in Los Angeles with the dreams of becoming a great actress. She is staying at the home of her aunt, and the very same apartment that the mystery woman has taken refuge. As she is touring the apartment, she discovers the woman in the bathroom. Seeing a poster of Rita Hayworth, the woman tells Betty that her name is "Rita." While looking through Rita's purse, they find a large sum of money and a blue key. Thus begins their journey to discover the mysteries revolving around Rita's identity and strange accident.

Meanwhile, a meeting is taking place between famous film director Adam Kesher (Justin Theroux), his agent, and some producers. They are discussing the casting of his next film. Two men pull a head shot photo from a briefcase, and instruct Kesher to cast the pictured woman, Camilla Rhodes, as the lead. Kesher refuses and leaves the meeting. He retreats to his home, and walks in to find his wife in bed with another man. Kesher then goes to stay at a seedy hotel for the night. He soon finds that all of his funds have been cut off, and his presence is requested for a meeting with a man called "The Cowboy." The Cowboy gives Kesher the same instructions of casting Camilla Rhodes, and leaves Kesher with a eerie warning. Kesher is then left with the delima of casting Camilla Rhodes, or facing the consequences.

What follows is a mind trip of epic proportions. Writer and director David Lynch's Mulholland Dr. is one of the greatest mysteries of our time. The film is layered with many details. Each detail, from coffee cups to the placement of lampshades, matters to decoding the meaning of the film. It asks of it's audience not just to watch, but to decipher and interpret. At the conclusion, the film might seem like a confusing mess. Once sorted through, Mulholland Dr. is a brilliant and original piece of film making.

Mulholland Dr. is a complete ensemble performance. Each character seems to be casted as if the parts were written with that actor in mind. The cast was a virtual list of unknowns at the time of it's release. Naomi Watts has probably gone onto the most success. It is also Watts' that might shine a little brighter than the rest in this film. Her role demands much more depth and the portrayal of a few different personalities. She rarely falters in her finest performance to date. The collective effort of the entire cast is just one of the areas that makes this film so great.

I could really go on about Mulholland Dr. for hours. It is one of my favorite films of the last ten years. It has a style that brings to mind some of the great film noir of the 1940's and 1950's. It's original story and thought provoking plot has found me going back multiple times. The first time viewer of this film must be warned that this is an extremely complicated film. This is not a film for the casual movie watcher. It requires your complete attention for almost every scene of the film. If you liked Christopher Nolan's Memento, you might really enjoy Mulholland Dr. I give this film my highest recommendation.