No film is "overrated"

Rating: Null/10 (4 July 2002)

Its interesting to read the comments left by IMDB users towards this film. People will either love it, hate it, or be too puzzled to figure out how they feel towards it. I enjoy reading people's interpretations of the film, but most of the comments are frustrating. A lot of the movie's criticizers have managed to convince themselves that the movie is overrated; that it is only praised so that people can feel "artsy" and intellectual. Some of the fans of the movie are no better. Many say things like "Only the people who have a high IQ can solve this enigma". How wrong they are.
A low IQ has nothing to do with how much a person dislikes "Mulholland Drive." Most of the people who hate this movie most likely either (a) don't know how to approach it, (b) refuse to view it with an open mind and/or with a sense of wonder, or (c) simply aren't used to this kind of movie.

Most anti-fans of the film are quick to judge those who like it as "pompous". But, honestly, what could be more pompous than assuming that, because you were incapable of enjoying the film, nobody else can? The word "overrated" pops up quite frequently when this film is being discussed. Personally, I don't believe that such a term is fitting to any movie. "L'avventura" doesn't interest me in the slightest bit, but that doesn't mean it's overrated, it means that the movie doesn't fit my tastes. "Overrated" is simply a term for those with too much pride to admit that they didn't like a highly rated movie.
I think the main reason of why so many people can't appreciate "Mulholland Drive" is because they haven't been introduced to Lynch's style. What people often don't realize is that a movie really doesn't have to make the slightest bit of sense, nor does it have to be understood, but it can still be just as amazing of an experience. Does "Mulholland Drive" make sense? Is there a puzzle to uncover? As discouraging as it is to some, I would guess that the film really is more abstract than people like to think it is. Much of the movie is part of the television pilot, and the rest of it, Lynch admits, were supercaffeinated brainstorms and last minute ideas. Personally, It really doesn't make a difference to me. I love the film nonetheless.
What is there to love about this film? The dreamlike atmosphere. The variety of different storylines and moods. But the greatest moments in movies are almost always without dialogue. They are moments when the music fits the visuals so perfectly that one has a mild feeling of euphoria. Lynch has a gift for creating this kind of moment, and "Mulholland Drive" may be the ultimate example of this ability of his as a filmmaker. The opening credits for example has us following a lone car late at night. These images are so fitting to Angelo Badalamenti's music that one feels overwhelmed by it's beauty. Of course there are dozens of other moments like this in the movie, and there are also great scenes made up entirely of dialogue.
I don't expect anyone who hated "Mulholland Drive" to have read any of my comments, but I wish that those that disliked the movie so strongly would give it another chance. Don't try to make any sense of it; just sit back and let yourself be immersed into a totally sublime cinematic experience.