LAUREL CANYON A film review by Steve Rhodes Copyright 2003 Steve Rhodes RATING (0 TO ****): ** 1/2
LAUREL CANYON is a simmering soap opera with a much stronger cast than it deserves. Written and directed by Lisa Cholodenko, it has none of the sharp edges of her only other film, HIGH ART. LAUREL CANYON's edges are so smooth that it feels like it has been processed by some photo editing software.
Sam (Christian Bale), a psychiatry intern, and his girl friend, Alex (Kate Beckinsale), an M.D. currently working on the dissertation for her Ph.D., have come to live temporarily at the home of Sam's mother, Jane (Frances McDormand). Jane is a dyed-in-the-wool hippie of the sex, drugs and rock 'n roll persuasion. A record producer, she has had a long string of men and women lovers, and her current squeeze, Ian (Alessandro Nivola), who is young enough to be her son, is the lead singer of a rock band, also staying at Jane's house. To complete our love pentagon, Sara (Natascha McElhone) is a second-year resident who provides car pool services and more for Sam.
Alex turns the house into something of a lab assignment. Her dissertation is on the reproductive abilities of fruit flies, and, as she smokes one joint after another, everyone must begin to look like fruit fly subjects to her. Meanwhile, back at the hospital, Sam becomes increasing turned on by Sara's exaggerated German accent. Maybe he thinks that she's Freud's granddaughter.
The movie is not a complete loss. Any move that contains such off-the-wall gems as, "The Age of Aquarius never happened. This is the Age of Commerce," can't be easily dismissed.
LAUREL CANYON runs 1:41. It is rated R for "sexuality, language and drug use" and would be acceptable for older teenagers.
The film is playing in nationwide release now in the United States. In the Silicon Valley, it is showing at the Camera Cinemas.
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