2008 Woodie Awards
Flawed but powerful, Hollywoodland reveals dark side of fame
Megan Gallagher
Issue date: 9/14/06 Section: Arts
From the glamorous pretense of show business to the discreet desperation of its icons, Allen Coulter's Hollywoodland fearlessly attempts to capture the true essence of its namesake. Indeed, the cliché "every coin has two sides" holds a profound truth in this tale of the death of TV's Superman, George Reeves. Hollywoodland skillfully weaves and lingers through murder, intrigue, infidelity, betrayal, fact and-as it would not be "Hollywoodland" without it-fiction.
The setting is a surprisingly simple party at a surprisingly simple home in Hollywood, land of the movie stars, the has-beens, the hopefuls and the losers. The modest homeowner is George Reeves-hero to little boys and girls everywhere, adorning their lunchboxes and filling their living rooms with wonder and quick-changes galore. When he excuses himself from the gathering and climbs the stairs to his bedroom for the last time however, he becomes something much more. He becomes an unsolved mystery.
As news of Reeves' suicide reaches both the public and the more private spectators of his life, suspicions of homicide surface, causing mass confusion in regards to both his life and death. From this confusion emerges a private eye, hired by Reeves' mother, determined to uncover any secrets that may be scattered around fame's underbelly. His investigation tumbles through a world of colorful characters and unseemly surprises, each uniquely decorating the ultimately bleak landscape of Hollywoodland.
Thick with mystery and intensity, the film uses creative storytelling techniques, such as revisiting the party scene multiple times, for both dramatic and dynamic effect. Though the screenplay feels somewhat weighed down with ambition in its first half, it ultimately delivers a mesmerizing story of human failure, seamlessly transitioning from a gritty thriller to a poetic, nuanced tragedy. Adrien Brody is delightfully seedy as the private eye, finally returning to the screen in his first respectable role since The Pianist.
Ben Affleck, though suitably cast as George Reeves, simply feels too familiar and predictable. Diane Lane, on the other hand, surprises with her incredible portrayal of Reeves' aging girlfriend. One may argue, with my support, that her Academy Award nomination for Unfaithful was undeserved, even in a year lacking strong female roles and performances; but here she shines-brazenly winking at ol' Oscar the whole time. Let's just hope he notices.
Hollywoodland is a suspenseful, heartbreaking, and insightful tale of the Superman who wasn't. A refreshing reprieve from the onslaught of rubbish that has thus far plagued this cinematic year, the film powerfully delivers its message and its narrative, even if its somewhat open ending may leave some frustrated and wishing for a sequel. And though it is not quite Sunset Boulevard, Hollywoodland proves to be a well-executed and thoughtful account of celebrity and the inevitable fate that follows-oblivion.
3.5 stars out of 4
The setting is a surprisingly simple party at a surprisingly simple home in Hollywood, land of the movie stars, the has-beens, the hopefuls and the losers. The modest homeowner is George Reeves-hero to little boys and girls everywhere, adorning their lunchboxes and filling their living rooms with wonder and quick-changes galore. When he excuses himself from the gathering and climbs the stairs to his bedroom for the last time however, he becomes something much more. He becomes an unsolved mystery.
As news of Reeves' suicide reaches both the public and the more private spectators of his life, suspicions of homicide surface, causing mass confusion in regards to both his life and death. From this confusion emerges a private eye, hired by Reeves' mother, determined to uncover any secrets that may be scattered around fame's underbelly. His investigation tumbles through a world of colorful characters and unseemly surprises, each uniquely decorating the ultimately bleak landscape of Hollywoodland.
Thick with mystery and intensity, the film uses creative storytelling techniques, such as revisiting the party scene multiple times, for both dramatic and dynamic effect. Though the screenplay feels somewhat weighed down with ambition in its first half, it ultimately delivers a mesmerizing story of human failure, seamlessly transitioning from a gritty thriller to a poetic, nuanced tragedy. Adrien Brody is delightfully seedy as the private eye, finally returning to the screen in his first respectable role since The Pianist.
Ben Affleck, though suitably cast as George Reeves, simply feels too familiar and predictable. Diane Lane, on the other hand, surprises with her incredible portrayal of Reeves' aging girlfriend. One may argue, with my support, that her Academy Award nomination for Unfaithful was undeserved, even in a year lacking strong female roles and performances; but here she shines-brazenly winking at ol' Oscar the whole time. Let's just hope he notices.
Hollywoodland is a suspenseful, heartbreaking, and insightful tale of the Superman who wasn't. A refreshing reprieve from the onslaught of rubbish that has thus far plagued this cinematic year, the film powerfully delivers its message and its narrative, even if its somewhat open ending may leave some frustrated and wishing for a sequel. And though it is not quite Sunset Boulevard, Hollywoodland proves to be a well-executed and thoughtful account of celebrity and the inevitable fate that follows-oblivion.
3.5 stars out of 4
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