Hollywoodland
In a world so often described as the land of dreams, Hollywoodland tells us the true tale of one of Hollywood’s most notorious un-happy endings. George Reeves was at the high point. He had a hit television show based on one of the world’s greatest heroes, and was known only by the name of Superman to the millions of families that religiously watched him on TV. It all came to a halt when Reeves was found dead in his bedroom during a party with some of his close friends and soon to be married wife. The story says he shot himself, but a doubting mother and a struggling private detective seemed to think otherwise. Could it have been the young and disruptive wife, the jealous and vengeful film producer, or simply the man himself? “Hollywoodland” singlehandedly tells the story of both Reeves’ life and the crime investigation by Detective Louis Simo.
Louis Simo is played by a likable Adrien Brody. His efforts to find a high paying investigation job have become staggered. We are introduced to him as he cheats one of his clients out of his own money. In this perfect casting decision, Brody has the task of remaining the main character of the story even though Ben Affleck stars as George Reeves. Affleck’s Reeves plays as a sour and fame driven actor who is stuck on TV. Even though it is gimmicky to watch Affleck recreate scenes for the Superman show, he embodies a character of George Reeves that is so unique we believe it actually happened. Equally convincing is Brody’s Louis Simo. He deals with being an emotionally troubled divorced father as well as a dependent private investigator. Even while the stories of both of these characters are shot in separate frames and storylines, they work wonders complimenting alongside each other.
While the story begins with the death of George Reeves and the investigation that ensues, it also highlights the inner happenings of the conspiracies by reliving Reeves’ life in an almost biopic sort of way. As Simo begins piecing the puzzle together, director Allen Coulter uses flashbacks to help further the sometimes confusing barrage of evidence that surfaces. This introduces us, like Simo, to the possible conspiracies behind Reeves’ death. In an interesting, but seemingly far fetched take, we begin analyzing the actions of the people around Reeves. Coulter’s lens forces you to make assumptions much like the people tasked with solving the crime scene. A noteworthy, but somewhat restrained, Diane Lane plays a seductive but very tragic Toni Mannix, who’s character falls victim to one of the many assumptions. Her role as producer Eddie Mannix’s wife is crucial to some major plot points in the story and actual investigation. Unfortunately, she is quickly diminished when her character is left in a state of unawareness and we are left questioning her motives.
Lying permanently in Affleck’s startling performance, “Hollywoodland” is mainly about the alter ego of the actors and actresses we see on the screen every day. Reeves truly did have charisma, but according to this film, he also had the charisma that got him into bed with the older wives of the billionaire producers of Tinseltown. This is the story where a seemingly mild mannered man can become lost and mistaken in a bewilderment of conspiracies, fake identities, and love/hate relationships.
“Hollywoodland’s” premise is ingeniously designed in a world we don’t normally see. Like children reacting to the death of their beloved superhero, “Hollywoodland” unsettles us with no explanation or conclusion to the facts or characters it represents. While it’s a movie that has every right to have a conclusion, no loose ends are tied. It’s interesting and compelling, but it leaves you with nothing more than a handful of impressive performances and a shred of insight on a Hollywood legend.
Hollywoodland
Rated R for language, some violence and sexual content
Runtime: 126 min.
Starring: Adrien Brody, Ben Affleck, Diane Lane and Bob Hoskins
Directed by Allen Coulter
