ThiefHott Too much of everything

Livestonth I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible

Gutsycurene Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.

Payno I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

BigApplePi I read a few reviews but didn't see much if anything about how the life of the detective parallels that of the actor in question. I will skip rating the actors and the story telling because they have already been covered.What interests me is the mystery of George Reeves death is as much an interest of the detective as it is for us ... perhaps more so. The detective, Simo, must know his profession and life is a low level version of Reeves. He wants to know what happened because it will tell him how his own life should be carried out.Take a look at the parallel happenings ... the uncertain loves, the mob threats and finally the unavoidable depression of a failed vocation. I will have to see this film again to see how this interpretation plays out.

FilmBuff1994 Hollywoodland is a good movie with a well developed storyline and a talented cast.The movie isn't extremely exciting or thrilling,but it is an interesting story,I much preferred the parts that were a biography of George Reeves life over the investigation scenes,the detective scenes were quite slow but Reeves life story was fast paced and very interesting.Ben Affleck did a great job as George Reeves on this film,a lot of people complain about him as an actor,but I think he's really good and I don't feel like he's "just acting",I truly believed he was Reeves,his personality was nothing like the way you would see Affleck on interviews.I wasn't very happy with the ending of the film,although I understood why they did it,it still annoyed me.Hollywoodland can be very slow,but it's still quite enjoyable and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a good biography film or drama. A private eye investigates the suspicious death of Superman actor George Reeves in 1950s LA.Best Performance: Ben Affleck Worst Performance: Lois Smith

romanorum1 Years ago the huge Hollywood sign used to read Hollywoodland; the name seems to connote an expose, the city's seamy underbelly. Whereas a film like "LA Confidential" focused on the police, this one centers on a Hollywood actor. George Reeves was a secondary performer whose big break was television's "Adventures of Superman" (1952-1958), a very popular series (filming actually began in 1951). Reeves may not have been happy with the starring role, but he did become famous. Not only did the kids watch the half-hour program that featured the mythical comic book super-hero, but also their parents tuned in. After the series run, in June 1959 the despondent 45 year-old actor was dead upstairs in his house with a bullet in his head, apparently a suicide. Three people, including the actor's fiancé, were downstairs at the time of death. Thousands of fans were shocked by the demise of "Superman," the Man of Steel.According to the film, the local police and studio moguls want the case closed as a suicide. But there are strange circumstances behind the situation, like the two bullet holes in the bedroom floor that the LAPD seemed to discount. And why did the folks on the first floor take 45 minutes to call the police? Now Reeves was known to have had a former affair with Toni Mannix, MGM studio executive Ed Mannix's wife. And did Reeves get along well with his girlfriend? So the screenplay brings up three possibilities of Reeves' demise: (1) a suicide, (2) an accidental killing while struggling with fiancé Leonore Lemmon (Robin Tunney), and (3) a contract hit by mogul Mannix (Bob Hoskins). To solve the case, (fictional) detective Louis Simo (Adrien Brody) is hired (by Reeves mother), mostly by luck through his previous employer, a detective agency. Simo is the one whose investigation opens up the window to Reeves' life. In fact, the movie delves into parallel stories between the lives of the two men. We see how the self-doubting actor got the role of "Superman," his affair with Toni Mannix (who helped his career and bought him a house), and his personal struggles to be recognized as a talent. Meanwhile Simo's life is in turmoil. He likes to drink and has been mostly unsuccessful in his working career. He has alienated his son, who has a stepfather. Like many children, the son, Evan (Zack Mills), idolized "Superman," and is crushed by the demise of Reeves. Will the jaunt become Simo's personal redemption to salvage a failed life?Ben Afleck does not really look like George Reeves, although he does well with the late actor's mannerisms and his charm. Some critics felt that since Ben Afleck played the role of a second rate actor, his performance was good enough. But Afleck fans will like anything he does. Brody handles his task OK, but he comes across as cocky and not especially likable. Do we really need to know about his domestic situation? There is a bit too much focus on the life of the fictional egotistical detective (and his uncooperative wife), and not enough on Reeves (although we do pick up much information). And when the movie ends, we ask, "Well, what did he really do?" In short, Simo's anxious life simply does not add to the story. Diane Lane was good as Reeves estranged lover; watch her reaction when Reeves dumps her. Bob Hoskins as Ed Mannix is quite chilling, Acting much like a mob boss, he has the look of a man whom no one had better cross. Also introduced is the despicable mother, Helen Bessolo (Lois Smith), who lied to her son George about his biological father and other aspects of his upbringing. This feature is an honest examination of the life and times of George Reeves (1940s-1950s). Production values are quite high, and the movie evokes the 1950-period quite well. How about those old-style large-finned cars? The reproductions of the old-time backstage creations are interesting, and it becomes obvious just how low budget the series really was. But as a murder-mystery the story is just OK, and its ending is certainly anti-climatic.

paul2001sw-1 George Reeves (no relation to Christopher) was the first actor to play superman on television: his suicide was a mystery and many have speculated that he was actually murdered. This story is investigated in Alan Coulter's low-key thriller 'Hollywoodland', which combines scenes from Reeves' life with the story of a not-particularly likable private detective investigating the case. The result is a tale of superficial glamour, suburban reality, limited opportunities and complicated private lives; in fact, it's really such an everyday story (in spite of the fame of its protagonist) that it struggles to bear its noir-ish pretensions ("I'm just trying to turn a buck here" and so on). Whatever killed him, Reeves wanted to be an actor but was ultimately just a celebrity: famous for his role, but not for his talent. And that seems to be the most pertinent message from this film for our times.