A bizarre journey through the subconscious

Rating: 8/10 (13 August 2010)

It's not often that a film that leaves one confused and frustrated can be described as great, but I have to hand it to David Lynch. "Mulholland Drive" is a great film and requires several viewings to mine all that is there. And there is plenty there. This isn't a pretentious director throwing something completely nonsensical on a screen that high-brow critics scream is great art when it is, in fact, junk.
Supposedly, "Mulholland Dr." was intended as a series, but it didn't work out. That's a shame, because it could have been pretty amazing. It was perhaps ahead of its time. Today, with cable networks doing so much original programming, it would have found a place.
I can't say too much about it, because everyone will have their own ideas and theories of the film. In the beginning, it concerns a botched hit due to a freak accident on Mulholland Drive. The victim escapes and hides out in an apartment, but she has amnesia. The woman staying in the apartment, Betty, becomes interested in her problem.
Except it's not about that at all. It's a dark, intriguing trip into the world of the subconscious, filled with crazy images, bizarre characters, and some strange dialogue.
Not an easy film to dissect, so watch it for yourself, and then go back and watch it again. Take note of the sign "Sunset Boulevard" - and prepare to be mesmerized.