Hollywoodland

(2006)

Directed by

Allen Coulter

Review by Terry Plucknett

A couple weeks ago I read an article online that talked about the curse of playing Superman.  It focused on the first two actors that portrayed the superhero: Christopher Reeve and his paralyzing fall off his horse, and the original Superman, George Reeves, who died under very mysterious circumstances.  Hollywoodland explores this mystery surrounding Reeves’s death.  Through this investigation, you see the life behind old Hollywood and a man haunted by his most famous character.

This movie is really split into two stories: the story of Reeves’s life and the investigation of a curious private eye.  Ben Affleck gives one of his strongest performances as George Reeves, a classic looking movie star that is waiting for his big break.  During this time, he begins a love affair with Toni Mannix (Diane Lane), the wife of MGM exec Eddie Mannix (Bob Hoskins).  As a struggling actor living paycheck to paycheck, he takes the iconic role reluctantly to simply get some money.  Before he knows it, everyone knows his face as Superman.

While we are learning these things about the actor, Louis Simo (Adrien Brody) is investigating deeper into the death of George Reeves, what the police called and open and shut suicide.  Simo’s character is one we have all seen before.  Down on his luck and recently kicked off the police force, he becomes a private eye to simply make some money.  He is hired by Reeves’s mother to investigate the “suicide.”  He takes the job for the money, but finishes the job because it is the right thing.  This dishonest character turned good has become something we see in romantic comedies like She’s All That and dramatic thrillers like Michael Clayton.   Although we have seen this character many times before, it does not mean it is not effective.  This storyline works well, mainly because the mystery he is investigating is so intriguing.  Throughout the entire movie, you are never sure exactly what happened on the night of Reeves’s death.  Did Toni Mannix kill him for money?  Did Eddie Mannix kill him out of jealousy?  Did his fiancé kill him in the heat of an argument?  Or was it actually suicide?  Throughout the entire movie, all of these are very plausible options.  The movie even ends leaving you unsure of exactly what happened.  The truth is no one really knows for sure.  It is one of those great classic Hollywood mysteries.

If the mystery being investigated is the star of the movie, Ben Affleck is definitely the noteworthy supporting character.  Ben Affleck shines as the tragic actor and steals every scene he is in.  He personifies the character of an actor playing Superman, you wonder why he hasn’t put on the tights and cape for real.  There are two scenes that resonate with me.  The first is of a screening of Reeves’s first big chance to break out of his Superman identity.  He was playing a supporting role in the classic film From Here to Eternity.  As soon as he appeared on the screen, the entire crowd started murmuring how Superman was in the film.  It became such a distraction, the studio execs decided to cut him from the movie.  The look of withheld but visible disappointment on Affleck’s face shows that he indeed can act when he finds the right character.

The second scene that shows Affleck’s brilliance in this film takes place at a public appearance of Superman in front of hundreds of kids.  Reeves, seconds before appearing on stage as every child’s favorite superhero, is seen smoking, drinking, and cracking dirty jokes with the stage hands backstage.  He then appears to halt the staged crime and “save the day.”  However, Superman’s larger than life persona is soon destroyed as a young boy comes on stage and asks to shoot Superman with a real gun to see the bullet bounce off.  In an instant, Reeves goes from Mr. Invincible to a broken man scared for his life as he tries to talk the gun out of the boy’s hand.  It was a very real moment portrayed to perfection by Affleck.

The film is fascinating as it tells a story that has not been told often.  Strong performances from Brody, Lane, and especially Affleck make the story come to life.  (Maybe Affleck performs so well because he plays one of the few characters he knows well, a movie star.)  A strong on all ends.

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