An abstract masterpiece

Rating: 9/10 (17 January 2002)

As far as movies that defy easy explanation (and mere plot description) go, "Mulholland Dr." far exceeds the comparatively paltry offerings of "Memento," "The Usual Suspects," "Fight Club," and even manages to blow everything else Lynch has touched clear out of the water. Lurking with the typical Lynchian elements of 1950's atmosphere and film noir but on the much larger scale that is Hollywood, "Mulholland Dr." moves with the consistency of a dense fog, bleeding into the corners of your psyche and stamping it with startling images akin to a nightmare. Undoubtedly one of the best movies of 2001, this is not essential viewing: it is an essential experience.