A Rorschach butterfly held up to itself in the mirror.

Rating: Null/10 (9 November 2001)

I have just seen the movie for the second time and will try to provide a bit of guidance to those venturing into the theatre for the first time.
CONTAINS SPOILERS First order of business: This movie really does make sense; it is not as surrealistic/abstract as some would have you believe. This is a film shot in first person point of view; the main character, Betty/Diane, is whose mind you enter and remain with, more or less, throughout the film. The problem is that the scenes/shots are not labeled "Dream Sequence," or "Masturbatory Fantasy," or "Flashback," or...you get the picture. Or do you? Fear not Pilgrim, I shall be your Virgil, leading you through the various circles of this infernal masterpiece.

Next order of business: Much of the first half to two-thirds of the movie is an elaborate Dream Sequence/Fantasy. The dream/fantasy is one that most of us are familiar with, namely, the one where we are appreciated for who we are. In other words, it is the dream/fantasy where lil ole me inspires love in exactly whom I desire, where lil ole me is recognized for my talent with little effort or prostituting on my part, or for those of you who prefer Hollywood jargon, the one where lil ole me is discovered! The dream/fantasy is beautiful, and culminates in a touching scene of requited love.
Third order of business: Pay attention to the imagery in the dream/fantasy, because the characters and props within the dream/fantasy are manifestations of people and things which Betty/Diane will see in the second half or last third of the film. In other words, once the dream/fantasy concludes, the film flashes back, and it is in this flashback that we discover the inspiration for the imagery of the dream. Of course, the dream imagery exaggerates/twists whatever it is based upon, so that, for example: A purse with a bundle of money to be paid to a grubby contract killer becomes a purse filled with thousands and thousands of dollars of mysterious origin; and the grubby contract killer himself becomes the hired gun of a mysterious boss, sent to collect a mysterious black book, before being sent to kill Rita. A treacherous machiavellian actress becomes an innocent and true lover. And last, but not least, there's the blue key, simple in appearance, intended to communicate "mission accomplished," not to open anything in particular. In the dream/fantasy, this key becomes unique in appearance and opens a mysterious blue box. If you haven't already caught on, that which is plain and ordinary in Diane's life is imbued with a larger than life, movie-like grandiosity in the dream/fantasy.

Last order of business: This section may spoil the movie for some. For those who are not going to see it twice, you may not walk out of the theatre dazed and cursing Lynch if you read this beforehand. Here is the plot: Canadian girl comes to Hollywood with dream of making it big in movies. She does not. But she does enter into an affair with an actress who is making it big. Canadian girl comes to be obsessed with actress. Actress ends affair, but wants to continue with some form of relationship (a sadistic one?) with Canadian girl. In this spirit, actress invites Canadian girl to a dinner at which actress is to be engaged to marry a movie director. Actress's engagement is the last straw; Canadian girl adopts an if-I-can't-have-her-no-one-can attitude. Canadian girl hires a man to kill actress. Man tells Canadian girl that he will convey to her a token, a blue key, once he's done his job; this way they will never have to see each other again. Man kills actress and conveys the key to Canadian girl. Canadian girl is sought for questioning by the police. Canadian girl trades apartments with a friend in order to dodge police questioning. Canadian girl doesn't leave apartment or answer door for three weeks. Canadian girl is haunted by ghost of actress. Canadian girl masturbates to memory of actress. Canadian girl has dream/fantasy, which comprises much of first two-thirds of movie. Canadian girl adopts a fatalistic, resigned approach and answers door one morning after three weeks of maddening self-imposed solitary confinement. It is not the police; it is the friend who traded apartments with Canadian girl. Canadian girl realizes that she truly is alone/friendless when old friend leaves. The blue key sits on her coffee table, a reminder of her ex-lover's treachery and her own unclean hands. Finally, there comes a pounding on Canadian girl's door which we, along with her, must suppose is the police. Despair at having lost love, and guilt, commingled perhaps with some fear of the real-world consequences of her acts, prompts Canadian girl to commit suicide.

And so, Pilgrim, we come to that point at which I must bid you adieu, and entrust you to other hands for the remainder of the journey. You've now a base, however, upon which to build, so take Lynch's hand and follow him where he leads.