Naomi Watts makes Mulholland Dr. quite enjoyable

Rating: 9/10 (15 October 2010)

Sometimes an actor or actress makes a movie so much better than the sum of its parts. Mulholland Dr. is an example of this as Naomi Watts (Betty) is absolutely wonderful in every one of her scenes. She demonstrates true acting range as she portrays murderous rage, heart- broken sorrow and pure joy in captivating moments during this film. It was a pleasure to see her demonstrate her acting skills in two particular scenes.
In one scene she is practicing her lines for a movie with her roommate. It's about a husband and wife splitting up. She delivers her lines with passion and emotion and it seems like Betty could become a movie star despite her roommate's wooden responses. Then a few scenes later, Betty is in an audition with the actor playing the husband (Robert Forster); who insists that she stand very close to him as they rehearse the same lines as before. She performs the scene with such intense, raw emotions as she kisses her husband while saying her lines in a heavy whisper. It's very believable performance. I can't imagine Angelina Jolie, Nicole Kidman or Julia Roberts pulling off that kind of pure acting.
Oh by the way, enjoy the rest of Mulholland Dr. as Betty helps her new roommate (of sorts) Rita (Laura Harring) discover her true identity. Laura does a great job of moving Rita's emotional state from confusion, to fear to blissful happiness in a matter of a few scenes. I'm surprised her career didn't take off as much as Naomi's. She does an excellent job in this movie.
Don't worry about trying to discover too many hidden meanings as some reviewers will try over-analyzing every scene especially since it's directed by David Lynch. Just enjoy the ride with Betty and Rita as they go on a wild adventure of self-discovery and character development. It's a long, strange trip, but it's worth taking.