Unconventional, but all the better for it

Rating: 10/10 (2 February 2002)

David Lynch is no conventional director. Having only previously seen the brilliant yet relatively normal "Elephant Man", I had not personally experienced this, but knew it only too well, and was thoroughly expecting "Mulholland Drive" to be a shameless romp within the realms of surrealism, obscurity and plain weirdness. In fact, that was predominantly why I was going to see it.
It seems impossible to review "Mulholland Drive" without using the words "strange" or "obscure", perhaps because, although apparently not David Lynch's least accessible effort, this is far from a conventional thriller. Indeed, Lynch's completely unique style of direction makes even the word "thriller" seem inadequate, which can be seen in the way moments of extreme terror are interspersed with absurdist humour. One of the primary strengths of "Mulholland Drive" is its effortless ability to go against all film stereotypes - highly appropriate in a film which is at least in part a criticism of the commercialist destruction of art within the ranks of Tinseltown. Naomi Watts' portrayal of the overawed and naive Betty arriving in Hollywood emphasises this every bit as much as the disillusionment of Theroux's Adam and the destructive wheeling-and-dealing that appears on the screen. Yet Lynch's heartbreaking deconstruction of humanity cannot be grasped even slightly until the film's conclusion, and even then its intricate patchwork of betrayal, seduction and misery leaves more food for thought than answers to the thousands of questions it poses.
Naomi Watts' performance is a breathtaking experience, with Lynch's alienating yet rewarding direction allowing for a perfect showcase of the Australian actress's stunning versatility. "Mulholland Drive" is not an experience for the faint-hearted. It requires thought. It probably even requires multiple viewings. Yet it will take you places you may never go again, yet will be all the wiser and more fulfilled for being taken to by such a unique and undoubted auteur. A thoroughly deserved perfect score goes to "Mulholland Drive".