Hollywoodland, A Review

So the thing is, I bought Hollywoodland after it was released on DVD a year or so ago and simply have not taken the time to watch it. I really enjoy mysteries and superheros so I thought that this might be a treat. This movie also has some of the biggest names Hollywood has to offer, Ben Affleck, Adrien Brody, Diane Lane, and Bob Hoskins. Not to mention this film was directed by Allen Coulter who has been a regular director on many of the most beloved HBO Series that channel has seen including The Sopranos and Sex and the City.

Hollywoodland is set in the late 50's and early 60's. It centers around the career and private life of George Reeves (Ben Affleck) who played the first Superman. From casually inserting himself in a photo with Rita Hayworth to romancing a studio head's wife, is quite clear from the beginning of the film that Reeves was an avid seeker of Hollywood stardom. The film revolves around the tragic death of Reeves from a gunshot wound to the head in his own bedroom. The film presents several plausible scenarios as seen by detective Louis Simo (Adrien Brody) during his investigation. There is no answer given by the film as to which scenario is the truth, though the coroner at the time ruled the death a suicide.

There is a secondary story that revolves around the personal disintegration of detective Simo's private life. His need, like that of Reeves, to insert himself into the public view is implied to have destroyed his marriage and is one of the contributing factors destroying his relationship with his current girlfriend. Though tangental to the story, it is a parallel with the life of Reeves that cannot be ignored.

This movie left me with a very ambivalent feeling about it. I really was not invested in any of the characters, with the possible exception of the studio executive's wife, played by Diane Lane. I feel that to have this high calibur of stars, this movie failed miserably to deliver anything. I cannot recommend this film as it is not suspensful, not well acted, and essentially not any fun at all. Simply pointless.

About the Author

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