SPOILERS - Nice film little weak for Lynch.

Rating: Null/10 (25 January 2002)

This film isn't that hard to work out. Lynch simply employs a non-linear plot-line, and forgets to label which scenes are set when. If he had employed the old '2 months earlier' tactic to the screen, this film would lose a lot of its mystery. Once you work out the order in which the sequences occured realisticly, its simple.
(Film's final third comes first) Diane was bascially a failure, failed actress (as she basically explaines at the table), tortured by her love for Camilla who mentally abuses her (teasing her in the studio in the car with the director etc).
(Film's middle then happens) Diane approaches the hitman, with a bag full of money. Obviously, he is the one Diane pays to quence her jeaolusy, but killing Camilla.
(Film's beginning, and first half, comes last) After Camilla has been killed, Diane goes to sleep and falls into a dream/nightmare. That's why we see those glimpses of Diane asleep in the film's opening. All the happens after that, is Diane's nightmare. She sees herself as Betty, a beautiful, talented actress (which Diane never was). She fantasises about Camilla 'needing' Betty (Which Diane craved). Basically, she sees a life she dreamed of having. But slowly, Diane's dream is shattered as reality creeps back to haunt her. Finally Camilla opens the 'box', which represents the 'real world', and so wakes Diane out of her dream, into torment at how depressed a failure she has become, and a murdering one at that, and shoots herself.

That's the basic story-line, with many small details included along the way. For instance, the key. The key is the instrument which will eventually resurface Diane's painful reality. It is the tool that opens the 'boxed up' reality. When the hitman hands Diane the key, she asks 'what does it open,' and he laughs. It's Lynch's way of telling her, that although you will kill the woman who treats you so badly, you will not be able to dream it away forever, eventually the key will be found, and you will have to face reality.
The money 'Rita' has inside her bag during the dream? This is just like the bag of money Diane gave the hitman. Since Diane handed that money to ensure the death of Camilla, by having Rita now with the same money, it's as if Diane is confirming Camilla's desire to kill her. It's Diane's way of lessening her paranoia.
This is substantiated when they see the 'dead woman'. Obviously, this carcass is representative of Diane. Upon seeing the body, Rita is much more shocked than Betty is, as if Betty knew it was there. This is Betty's way of showing Camilla how she metaphorically 'killed' her, by treating her so awfully in reality. It is Diane's subconscious desire to bring Camilla to be accountable.
Anyway, there's too much to fit onto IMDB. But, I will say this film is almost exactly like Lost highway in everything it's trying to say. A person commits a murder of someone they are jealous of, they try to block out reality by dreaming/creating a new identity, but reality always forces them into torment. That's exactly what happens to Bill Pullman in Lost Highway. He killed his wife, created another personality to help cope with the guilt, but the 'Mystery Man' didn't let him escape reality.
EXACTLY THE SAME IN MULHOLLAND DRiVE. Diane kills Camilla, tries to dream another identity, but the 'Cowboy' makes sure the Director picks another woman (also named Camilla), so as to wake Diane back up to reality (Camilla was always better than her, and she can't have this perfect dream.)

In both movies, the 'Cowboy' and the 'Mystery Man' were representative of the 'truth', which haunted the main character.
Lynch does employ some good techniques in the film. But for a die-hard fan, it all falls apart once you discover this film is simply 'Lost Highway', with the beginning and end switched around, simply with a different main character. With 'Lost Highway' it was original and revolutionary. With 'Mulholland Drive', it's childish and laughable. 'Lost Highway' for the masses and a bigger budget. If the ground hadn't been covered before, this film would be a master-piece. But why praise a director who simply traces his previous work, and colours it in differently?
Plus, the non-linear plot-line isn't as difficult as Lynch hopes. Like I said, he just hasn't labeled when it takes place, and it's not hard to discover.
Please, I hope Lynch comes up with something new next time. The one good thing about this movie, is getting the reaction from people who have never seen Lynch's work.