117. Under The Silver Lake; movie review

UNDER THE SILVER LAKE
Cert 15
139 mins
BBFC advice: Contains strong language, sex, violence, gore, nudity

So, what was all that about?
For a good 45 minutes to an hour of David Robert Mitchell's Under The Silver Lake, I was on board, believing that I was witnessing a cross between Mulholland Drive and Twin Peaks.
Thereafter, it drifted away on its own surreal wave and by its finale, I was completely lost.
Mitchell's movie stars Andrew Garfield as a sex-hungry layabout who becomes entranced by a beautiful and exotic neighbour (Riley Keough).
When she disappears, he becomes obsessed with finding her, unwittingly lifting the lid on scandals, murders and other crimes in the process.
Thus, he becomes embroiled with dog killings, aspiring actors, It girls, memorabilia hoarders, a masked seductress, the homeless, a reclusive songwriter, a sex worker, wealthy socialites, a topless neighbour.
However, the more Garfield's character delves into complicated conspiracies and secret codes embedded in advertising, songs and movies, the more confused I became.
And that was a shame because it felt that there was a cracking film trying to break out of the straitjacket of its makers being deliberately obtuse.
On the plus side, Mitchell's Los Angeles is a perfect, sun-kissed backdrop for crime, extravagance and mystery.
Under The Silver Lake looks stunning but I defy anyone who claims they could make sense of it.
Ultimately, I became bored trying to.

Reasons to watch: It makes wonderful use of the LA backdrop
Reasons to avoid: Its storyline becomes lost in its surrealism

Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: Yes
Nudity: Yes
Overall rating: 5/10

Did you know? Andrew Garfield was born in Los Angeles but grew up in Epsom, Surrey and has his first screen break on Channel 4's Sugar Rush in 2005.

The final word. David Robert Mitchell: "Under the Silver Lake is my own version of the Los Angeles story — a world of sunlit swimming pools, dark shadows, secret passages, debutante daughters, mysterious murders—the iconic imagery of a city built on dreams and moving pictures.” 

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