The Roar of Laughter

Rating: 2/10 (20 June 2002)

Before this dreadful movie reached the half-way point, I knew that the "art house" reviewers among us (almost all of the regular contributors) would rave about this movie, but Good God, who could have guessed they would rave it right into the TOP 100?!!!!!!
Folks, David Lynch, like the Coen brothers, has got you where he (they) want you: In the wallet. They are laughing all the way to the bank, and at you.
I know, I know. I'm just a Philistine who thinks he ought to be entertained for $8. My mistake.
The script is neither intelligent nor clever. The acting is neither subtle nor nuanced. (Most of the actors can scarcely conceal their contempt for the script and the direction, nay, the absurdity of the overall production.)
Oh, but I forgot: Since everything is blue and hazy, it's a "masterpiece." And let's not forget the soundtrack: Ah, the sound of a match igniting (amplified by a factor of 1000). Music to my ears!
Even the baffling "The Big Sleep" (before the filler material was added in 1946) is more satisfying than this pretentious waste of celluloid.
The best part of the movie: The babe lipsyncing to Linda Scott's "Every Little Star," an awesome make-out song from about '61. And the scene with "Medical Center's" Chad Everett is a classic.
Lynch has his moments, but when one has to "know" the director's mind, to understand his picture, then I would have to say that his EGO is a very, very big problem.
What is it about us that we no longer have any expectations, let alone any standards?