Come for the experience, leave the analysis for later

Rating: 8/10 (18 March 2010)

There is already enough written about Mulholland Drive to make my overall explanation on the film unnecessary. In general you will find many valid and insightful analysis and deconstructions in IMDb and other websites devoted to interpretations of this film. These will get any novice factually prepared for the MD experience.
What I would emphasize is that the movie is best appreciated on first viewing by simply letting go and following along. Lynch is an artist who attempts to create a cinematic experience rather than a step by step whodunit. Those who try to figure everything out immediately will only rack their brains and miss out on the full emotional impact.
You can trust Lynch, even though he himself may not always understand why he did what he did (he has admitted not knowing what every image he has in his head means). His skill lies in understanding the visual and emotional impact of an image, and having a real purpose for the effect intended. He is an expressionist who composes sights and sounds mostly to evoke emotions rather than to simply advance a narrative.
He is also a minimalist who doesn't pack in a bunch of disparate or extraneous images. His scenes are measured and purposeful, and build to climaxes with simple, skilled film making rather than with bloated, overdone special effects.
Having lingering questions about MD are a given. Any movie that could be understood immediately and completely after watching would grow old quickly. MD is a movie that will confound in a good way, and haunt you long after it's over.