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Anni 50, Hollywood, il detective Louis Simo, é chiamato ad indagare sulla morte del celebre attore George Reeves, che interpreta il Superman televisivo. Apparentemente morto per suicidio, le indagini porteranno a sviluppi non prevedibili. Simo scoprirà, infatti, che l'attore aveva una storia con la moglie del produttore Eddie Mannix, e questo potrebbe essere un valido movente per un omicidio...
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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
By Alan Fair
Format:DVD
This ia a terrific piece of filmaking. The muted pallette of Johnathan Freeman's photography and the, near Herrmann like, emotional subtlety of Marcello Zarvos' music combine to produce the kind of brooding, slow burn that the best of Hollywood is still capable of laying before us. Essentially a tryptich of three characters caught in a well spun web of intrigue born of the love of power and the power of love. Allen Coulter not only captures the 'feel' of fifties hollywood but offers the same kind of adult fare we were offered then, I mean intelligent and essentially fond portraits of complicated individuals. For a man to live with, not only the ignomy of being a tv star but also to be saddled with the daming role of Superman allows for an intimate series of speculations about the nature of fame and death. Diane Lane is terrific as the beautiful but cloying 'older' woman who is quite clearly in love, an acting task often underated, to depict the way in which we can love, while Ben Affleck carries offf the difficult task of rendering an inflated ego coupled with an out of kilter charm perfectly, all teeth and hurt superficiality. But it is Brody's Simo (see more?) who is perfect as the deluded private eye whose desire to solve the case while wearing the kind of shirts that I have searched every thrift store in the world for, is what sews together this deft script. What this film understands is that it was, in fact, not the 60s that were last century's turbulent decade but the 50s, and in many ways this is the drama of the piece, a decade getting used to itself. A treat for both the eye and the mind. Why aren't they making more little gems like this?
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Step back into the 1940s and 50s with "Hollywoodland," a well-made film noir that examines the death of George Reeves, TV's "Superman." Down-on-his-luck private eye Louie (Adrien Brody) is hired by Reeves' mother who thinks it was murder, even though the police have labeled it a suicide. Louie's investigation alternates with flashbacks showing Reeves (Ben Affleck) from his early days as a struggling actor, through his successful TV series, and his trials as a typecast has-been. Among Louie's suspects are Reeves' older mistress (Diane Lane), her studio boss husband (Bob Hoskins), and Reeve's finance. We also see Louie as he tries to deal with his ex-wife, alienated young son, and two-timing girlfriend. Louie is determined to crack the case because he sees how much he and Reeves had in common: They were both very unhappy men.
Brody and Affleck give outstanding performances playing flawed but likeable characters. You want to see Reeves be a success and you find yourself pulling for Louie to solve the mystery, even though the world seems against him. The lovely Diane Lane does a great job playing the older woman. I think the real star, however, is the director who recreated the time period so lovingly and filmed with dim, atmospheric lighting that made it look and feel like an old Bogart movie. The costumes and sets, hairdos and cars, and the constant smoking all combine to make it feel real. The film is a little long, but the story, stars, and action are riveting. If you remember that period you'll really feel at home here. I enjoyed this thoughtful, character-driven drama.
Brody and Affleck give outstanding performances playing flawed but likeable characters. You want to see Reeves be a success and you find yourself pulling for Louie to solve the mystery, even though the world seems against him. The lovely Diane Lane does a great job playing the older woman. I think the real star, however, is the director who recreated the time period so lovingly and filmed with dim, atmospheric lighting that made it look and feel like an old Bogart movie. The costumes and sets, hairdos and cars, and the constant smoking all combine to make it feel real. The film is a little long, but the story, stars, and action are riveting. If you remember that period you'll really feel at home here. I enjoyed this thoughtful, character-driven drama.
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
By Ian Armer
VINE™ VOICE
Format:DVD
*Contains Spoilers!*
Hollywoodland is about corruption. It's about spiritual corruption and the (painful) rediscovery of what is most important in life.
Following the suicide of failed television actor George Reeves (Ben Affleck in a SUPERB performance), a 'wannabe famous' private eye, Simo - played brilliantly by Adrien Brody - takes the case on behalf of the seemingly bereft mother of Reeves who is convinced her son was murdered. As Simo plays up to the papers, exploiting Reeves' death for his own gain, relationships with his estranged wife and son just get in the way of what he really wants to do: be famous and make money.
Hollywoodland pulls some nifty tricks in plotting. The mother is anything but grieving and is as equally fame seeking as Simo who is left reeling by this stealing of his limelight. The discovery of bullet holes carefully hidden in Reeves' apartment indicates foul play and Simo is soon embroiled in the tragic story of Reeves that mirrors his own crash course of a life.
The film is a slow burn, but fascinating to watch (all the performances are exceptional) and the gradual descent from vanity investigation into a very painful realisation at the film's climax is both despairingly bleak and yet tinged with learning. The film doesn't have a happy ending, only a hopeful finale that maybe some healing can take place between characters.
An excellent film.
Hollywoodland is about corruption. It's about spiritual corruption and the (painful) rediscovery of what is most important in life.
Following the suicide of failed television actor George Reeves (Ben Affleck in a SUPERB performance), a 'wannabe famous' private eye, Simo - played brilliantly by Adrien Brody - takes the case on behalf of the seemingly bereft mother of Reeves who is convinced her son was murdered. As Simo plays up to the papers, exploiting Reeves' death for his own gain, relationships with his estranged wife and son just get in the way of what he really wants to do: be famous and make money.
Hollywoodland pulls some nifty tricks in plotting. The mother is anything but grieving and is as equally fame seeking as Simo who is left reeling by this stealing of his limelight. The discovery of bullet holes carefully hidden in Reeves' apartment indicates foul play and Simo is soon embroiled in the tragic story of Reeves that mirrors his own crash course of a life.
The film is a slow burn, but fascinating to watch (all the performances are exceptional) and the gradual descent from vanity investigation into a very painful realisation at the film's climax is both despairingly bleak and yet tinged with learning. The film doesn't have a happy ending, only a hopeful finale that maybe some healing can take place between characters.
An excellent film.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Superman!
An excellent thriller in the same vain as 'Devil With the Bluedress or 'the Black Gardenia'. Ben affleck plays George Reeves the actor best known for his starring role in the... Read more
Published 3 days ago by Ralph McCandles
5.0 out of 5 stars
A gripping and nostalgic fact-based story
I like this film because it is a weil-constructed, well-acted, suspenseful and mainly true story set in 1950s Los Angeles when the place was still fabulous. Read more
Published on 20 July 2010 by Fred
5.0 out of 5 stars
There's Something To Love Here. HOLLYWOODLAND, A Critical Review
HOLLYWOODLAND. There's something here that shouldn't be missed. Is it the story surrounding the controversial death of tv's superman, George Reeves? Read more
Published on 21 Jun 2010 by Andre Lawrence
3.0 out of 5 stars
The long-term effects of Kyrptonite
Coulter and Bernbaum have created a curious hybrid consisting of part film noir part biopic. Adrien Brody plays gumshoe Louis Simo who shoehorns himself into the investigation of... Read more
Published on 10 April 2010 by sft
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Darkened Screen
I found this Hollywood semi-biopic absorbing from beginning to end. It recalled that bygone era when entering a movie theatre in Southern California was more than making a stop at... Read more
Published on 25 May 2008 by F. S. L'hoir
3.0 out of 5 stars
Slow , but sure .
A film that is a little bit slow in places , but is worth a watch nontheless . Ben Affleck is well cast as George Reeves , and is ably supported by Adrien Brody as Louis Simo . Read more
Published on 3 Mar 2008 by Egbert Souse
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very good.Affleck's best.
This one's for fans of LA Confidential,Lonely Hearts,Chinatown,The Last Tycoon,The Day Of The Locust,James Ellroy's novels and Robert Mitchum's turn as Philip Marlowe in Farewell... Read more
Published on 18 Feb 2008 by Johnnybluetime
3.0 out of 5 stars
Thoughtful
Hollywoodland was a thoughtful and sometimes moving film. It featured great performances from a cast of talented performers. Read more
Published on 27 April 2007 by sainte-carmen
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Surprise, and Ben Affleck proves he can really act
Two films about post-war Los Angeles, one wirh a stellar cast ' The Black Dahlia' and the other with less 'A List' names but every bit as good if not better, 'Hollywoodland'. Read more
Published on 26 Feb 2007 by Panic
1.0 out of 5 stars
So slow
I watched this film because I had previously been interested in the events it portrays. The beginning of the film was very slow, but I decided to go with it assuming that things... Read more
Published on 9 Feb 2007 by P. A. Kearney
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