Under The Silver Lake: DVD Review

Under The Silver Lake: DVD Review

That this piece of film-making, so sauntering and sleazy in its outlook should come from the director of the wonderful It Follows is a genuine shock.

Andrew Garfield stars as a slacker in David Robert Mitchell's attempt at a Hollywood noir that doesn't quite know what it wants to be, or how to execute its desires.

Garfield is Sam, who spends his days doing whatever he wants and perving over the neighbours in a Hollywood suburb where a dog murderer is loose. One day he comes across new girl Riley Keough and is instantly attracted (much like the camera's leering lens) - but when she disappears he finds himself ensconced in a mystery for the ages.

It's a loopy LaLa Land story in many ways, but Under The Silver Lake is an ultimately trying and confusing viewing experience.

The script affords Garfield a Spider-Man gag, but little else as his deeply unlovable hero wanders around trying to find out what's happened.

Meandering is polite for Mitchell, but the film's penchant for popping down narrative alleyways and rendering little results yields more frustration than anything definitive. Ultimately, Under The Silver Lake is a film that tries your patience and rewards you with very, very little.