Hollywoodland

Hollywoodland is much more than just another film noir piece where everyone looks fabulous and the storylines have more twists and turns than the Pacific Coast Highway.

Adrien Brody gives the Louis Simo character a more human and complex edge than what is often attributed to a 1950s private detective role. He’s tough enough not to smoke, but not tough enough to resist when the going gets rough and he’s covered with scrapes and bruises. The scenes involving Simo, his ex-wife, and young son are incredibly strong and illustrate the conflicting emotions associated with a family break-up. I really don’t understand why Brody isn’t a huge star – maybe he’s not attending the right parties or something…

Diane Lane is graceful and pretty and refined as Toni Mannix and Ben Affleck doesn’t even look like himself (and if you watch the DVD extras you’ll find out why) and does a first-rate job of portraying a character that in many ways isn’t all that far removed from his real life…