Lynch's Best Since "Blue Velvet"

Rating: 10/10 (16 June 2002)

While "Wild At Heart", "Twin Peaks" - The TV Series, "Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me", and "Lost Highway", among others, were all excellent this ranks as Lynch's best since his divine "Blue Velvet", arguably the first real American surrealist film.
Many of the people I've watched this with (i've seen it a few times) have dismissed it as silly and shallow, just a - to quote one friend - "movie with no plot disguised as a weird film noir".
Not at all. If anything this movie is a deep and indeed deeply interesting & intoxicating exploration of human life and - of course - Hollywood!
Too easily dismissed as a simple "it turned out to be all a dream" movie, this is best left to the individual (with the help of Lynch's 10 clues) to figure out, and interpret on their own. Everyone will have a different opinion for what Lynch's (including many of his trademarks - red drapes, unusual characters like the Cowboy, etc.) symbolism means, his clues, strange plot twists, etc.
The direction and script as usual with Lynch are both top-notch, the photography is stunning, and the cast is excellent, particularly Naomi Watts, who gives a fantastic levelled performance both as the sweetly innocent & idealistic Betty and as the troubled bitter Diane.
A stunning mystery thriller/romantic drama that is in itself a mystery to unfold. When a movie can let the audience participate and interact with it to an extent such as this, it is quite simply marvellous.
Have fun figuring it out! And enjoy!