Hollywoodland

[BlackSheep]

Hey Dot-any thoughts or a review available?

From Rotten Tomatoes website:

June 16, 1959. The glamour of Tinseltown permanently fades for actor George Reeves, the heroic Man of Steel on TV's Adventures of Superman, as the actor dies in his Hollywood Hills home. Felled by a single gunshot wound, Reeves (portrayed in Hollywoodland by Academy Award winner Ben Affleck) leaves behind a fiancée-aspiring starlet Leonore Lemmon (Robin Tunney)-and millions of fans who are shocked by his death. But it is his grieving mother, Helen Bessolo (Lois Smith), who will not let the questionable circumstances surrounding his demise go unaddressed. Helen seeks justice, or at least answers. The Los Angeles Police Department closes the case, but Helen hires-for $50 a day-private detective Louis Simo (Academy Award winner Adrien Brody). Simo soon ascertains that the torrid affair Reeves had with Toni Mannix (Academy Award nominee Diane Lane), the wife of MGM studio executive Eddie Mannix (Academy Award nominee Bob Hoskins), might hold the key to the truth.

But truth and justice are not so easily found in Hollywood. Simo pursues dangerous and elusive leads in both high and low places and, in trying to turn up the heat, risks getting burned. The detective also uncovers unexpected connections to his own life as the case turns more personal and he learns more about Reeves himself. Behind the icon was a complex man who gave his life to Hollywood in more ways than one.

*** out of ****

[DotTheEyes]

I'm seeing it tomorrow and will write a review then. It does seem very interesting and has a good cast (Adrien Brody and Diane Lane are always good; Ben Affleck is capable of greatness and this could be the right role for him).

I find it amusing, though, how two September 2006 movies are running TV spots claiming to be about the most notorious murders in the history of California: this and The Black Dahlia (which is based on James Ellroy's novel and directed by Brian De Palma, of Scarface and The Untouchables fame). In my opinion, aspiring starlet Elizabeth Short's (a.k.a. the Dahlia) grisly murder is much more notorious than George Reeves' "questionable death." Both movies seem good, though, and are getting good reviews from professional critics.

[DotTheEyes]

One of the year's best and most provocative films. In his directorial debut, Allen Coulter (who rose to fame directing episodes of "Sex and the City" and "The Sopranos") examines both the questionable death of iconic actor George Reeves, the star of "The Adventures of Superman" in the '50s, and the nature of Hollywood itself, a city where dreams are often destroyed by politics and seediness.

Coulter's film is overflowing with great performances. The standout is Ben Affleck as Reeves. After a string of high-profile flops, including Gigli, Jersey Girl, and Surviving Christmas, he revitalizes his career with a complex, soulful acting turn. Also outstanding is the colorful cinematography and the musical score, which is at times bouncy and fun and, at other times, mysterious and sinister. If the film does have a flaw, it's the connection Coulter tries to find between Reeves and Adrien Brody's character, a fictional low-rent P.I. by the name of Louis Simo. This element feels a tad forced and isn't as powerful and sensational as the rest of the movie. Still, despite this one rather misguided element, Hollywoodland's an unforgettable, Oscar-worthy effort I most definitely recommend!