Without a doubt! The best movie of 2001

Rating: Null/10 (19 June 2003)

"Mulholland Drive" is one of those movies that'll really make you think about everything you see in life. It's an inspiring film that deserves all the praise it has received. The film is so mysterious, interesting and disgustingly beautiful. I say, "disgusting" just for the love scenes and some gore, and adult stuff, but it just shows two human beings loving each other.
After reading so many comments on this movie, it's hard to believe that many people hated and insulted the movie, but of course "Mulholland Drive" isn't everyone's cup of tea. Its abusive themes, sex scenes, confusing story, and unhappy ending are some of the reasons why the movie is disliked by others.

"Mulholland Drive" does have a point. It really has a story to tell, and it's not an overly simple or an incoherent story as many people state. It's really a powerful and inspiring tale, that of a woman who wants to be a recognized actress in Hollywood with a lot of fans and money. "Mulholland Drive" shows her dream, her impossible dream in Hollywood. We all dream of having something we don't have right now. What's the problem with this movie, then? Dreams are beautiful, surrealistic, and unavoidable. That's what happens to Diane Sewlyn (perfectly played by Naomi Watts) She dreams of being the actress she cannot be. Her life is a misery because of losing the part to her lover Camila/Rita (Laura Helena Herrigan) and then she hires someone to kill her, and what we see after that is Diane's dream She dreams of not letting Rita die and living with her and falling in love with her again. She dreams of having another opportunity in life.
That's my interpretation of the whole movie; however, some other people could say that it all happens in Rita's imagination after the accident. That is a possibility as well; however, my interpretation makes much more sense, and provides an explanation of what the whole story is about.

The opening sequences are excellent, so full of horror, action and mystery. The first scene where you see Diane as an actress is amazing. The second scene where you see a car being hit by another car driven by a lot of drunken young people is a perfect beginning as well. Those scenes are so intense that you really want to know what's going to happen to Rita. But the best scene of all is the scene where the bum appears; He is appalling; you wonder what he is doing in that movie. What scenes! I love the scene when the bum first appears, because you learn that even in Hollywood there are penniless and frightening people, and also that Hollywood is not what it pretends to be -- "A great, rich city of dreams".
Naomi Watts gives a pitch-perfect, emotionally devastating performance. It's the role of a lifetime. Her facial expressions are totally convincing and strong. The part where she's in Silencio's club is perfect. Her expressions are dramatic without her overacting. Her eyes turn red and she is quite equal to the complexity of her role. Another of her amazing scenes is where she's feeling jealous because Camilla/Rita is kissing a man. She doesn't ruin any scene; She is totally believable in the whole movie. She should have won an Oscar for best actress in a leading role. She puts Halle Berry, Sissy Spacek, Nicole Kidman, and the other best actress nominees to shame. They don't really match the complexity of Naomi's character. Naomi is just perfect for the role. At the beginning you can accept her as a beautiful, dreamy, happy, tender and nice woman called Betty who just arrives at Hollywood, and at the end you really accept her as the bitter, jealous, frustrated and hateful Diane Sewlyn. Naomi's performance is without doubt the best of the year!
Laura Helena Herrigan is also a revelation. She's not as good as Naomi, but she also gives a very strong and convincing performance as Naomi's lover. Her scenes in Silencio's club are excellent and also when she opens the blue box her performance is believable and dramatic. Those scenes are so intense, dense and unexpected.
The direction is stunning as well as the editing and the musical score. "Mulholland Drive" succeeds in showing how fake Hollywood is. It also shows poverty, jealousy, violence and the unhappiness of some people in the so-called `City of Dreams'.
The ending is perfect. The final scene is brilliant because you see Diane's dream getting crushed and also the final cut where a person says `silencio' in an evil way is totally interesting and believable. It shows the dream is over and that everybody and everything must be in silence!
David Lynch has created a masterpiece; I haven't seen any other of his movies, but if they're similar to Mulholland Drive, he must be one of the best directors in film history. The women he chooses are so good looking that it's hard not to pay attention to their story. Mulholland Drive is a triumph, and without a doubt the best movie of 2001. 9/10