HOLLYWOODLAND (2006)

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"If you’re looking for a seriously depressing film with absolutely no brevity, whatsoever, but with a good story, then rent Hollywoodland."

From first glance, this film appears to be about the life and death of George Reeves, who played Superman in the very popular 50's television series. In actuality, the film is more about the private detective Louis Simo, who becomes obsessed with finding out the truth behind George Reeves' alleged suicide.

The movie was interesting with Simo taking us with him as he investigates. We are privy to Simo's thoughts through flashbacks to events that factually happened to Reeves, and events that might have occurred based on clues Simo unearths. The movie goes down a fairly linear path as facts pile up, but Simo never completely is able to tie them all together, which is why the film splits into three paths of "what might have happened".

One suprising aspect of the film is how honest the film is in dealing with these real life "old Hollywood" characters. There were no punches pulled. The characters were all self-centered, self-destructive, pretentious, and shallow jackasses consumed entirely by an obsessed pursuit of money, prestige and movie stardom. (I don't know why they call it "old Hollywood" because there doesn't seem to be too much difference between then and now. They're still just as arrogant and unstable today.) Both Reeves and, interestingly enough, Simo exhibit these qualities. Both wanted fame and both became obsessed in its' pursuit. One was consumed by it, and the other is being consumed by it. Reeves was obsessed with obtaining fame as an actor, and the irony of his life was that he did accomplish that goal. He just never saw it because his fame was with children not adults. Simo, on the other hand, wanted fame, but it pretty much didn't matter in what manner he got it just as long as he was recognized. Simo's obsession with Reeves story is in part due to the realization that if he can prove Reeves didn't kill himself, then he'll be on the front page of every newspaper in the country. The fascinating thing about Simo is that in pursuit of the truth about a man who self-destructed from obsession he too began to go down that same dark path.

The story of Hollywoodland is extremely intriguing as a morality tale about the dark side of fame, but as a movie it just moved too slow. The pace of the film was sluggish pretty much the entire film. There were a few moments of tension, but mostly it was like watching flowers grow. You like the substance of what you're looking at, but the process just takes too long. I think I would have really enjoyed this story if I had read it instead of watching it.