Hollywoodland
Focus Features | Release Date: September 8, 2006
5.9
USER SCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 68 Ratings
USER RATING DISTRIBUTION
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35
Mixed:
15
Negative:
18
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User Reviews

User scoreBy dateMost helpful
9
RandySep 23, 2006
Adrien Brody was superb, and what a complex, compelling and melancholy story! Whether George Reeves committed suicide or was murdered, it seems that the movie was saying that his life came to a sad end in a tawdry setting. Very Adrien Brody was superb, and what a complex, compelling and melancholy story! Whether George Reeves committed suicide or was murdered, it seems that the movie was saying that his life came to a sad end in a tawdry setting. Very thought-provoking film.… Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful
8
BillyS.Sep 8, 2006
Summer's over, now let's get down to business with the first "real" movie of the fall. Hollywoodland is a great start if you've been waiting for something with substance, not schmaltz! Adrien Brody has his best role since his Summer's over, now let's get down to business with the first "real" movie of the fall. Hollywoodland is a great start if you've been waiting for something with substance, not schmaltz! Adrien Brody has his best role since his Oscar winning "The Pianist" as a down in the dumps private detective and Diane Lane makes more of her role with another Oscar caliber performance, but it's Ben Affleck as George Reeves who walks away with the movie. He is so convincing in the role that you forget it is Ben Affleck. He's really acting here folks! Bob Hoskins, Robin Tunney and Lois Smith also are memorable in supporting parts in a movie that's rich in characters and settings not unlike L.A. Confidential and Chinatown. Hollywoodland is a great start to the "serious" movie season that we might even see again come Oscar time!… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
7
NancyHSep 9, 2006
Having grown up watching George Reeves in Superman, I eagerly waited for this movie. Ben Affleck did an amazing job--the cadence in his voice, how he held his body--all George Reeves. Diane Lane and Bob Hoskins were also excellent. Having grown up watching George Reeves in Superman, I eagerly waited for this movie. Ben Affleck did an amazing job--the cadence in his voice, how he held his body--all George Reeves. Diane Lane and Bob Hoskins were also excellent. [***SPOILERS***] The big disappointment here was Adrien Brody--I think he was miscast and the character wasn't convincing enough. But that was secondary--Affleck deserves an Oscar nomination and stole the movie.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
8
AlfonsoM.Feb 16, 2007
It was a great picture. The cinematography is top notch as well as costumes and the editing, a nice surprise
0 of 0 users found this helpful
7
SamMar 19, 2007
Great performances, especially from Diane Lane, and a Clue-like way to present the various theories raise this above the average, now-abundant, "unsolved murder" movie frenzy that has been taking over the big screen lately.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
8
NeeniSep 17, 2006
At last a film for grownups. Well acted, well-directed, clever script. If the ending seems problematic-well, folks--it's a mystery! You're free to choose your own ending.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
7
MovieGoerSep 14, 2006
I was enthralled up to the point where Adrien Brody started swigging booze straight out of a
0 of 0 users found this helpful
7
SpangleFeb 29, 2016
Featuring fantastic acting and a captivating detective story, Hollywoodland is a well-crafted film from director Allen Coulter that suffers from script issues. Adrien Brody, Diane Lane, Ben Affleck, and Bob Hoskins, all star here and are allFeaturing fantastic acting and a captivating detective story, Hollywoodland is a well-crafted film from director Allen Coulter that suffers from script issues. Adrien Brody, Diane Lane, Ben Affleck, and Bob Hoskins, all star here and are all phenomenal in their respective roles. The talented actors really elevate this film about your typical potboiler detective murder mystery type film. Additionally, the film really sheds some interesting light on fame and the quest for it from those in Hollywood, which was compelling and quite tragic. Additionally, the film received some criticism for being too slow, but I never felt that way. It was certainly on the slower side of things, but I never found the pacing of the film to be an issue. Rather, I appreciated that it did not feel the need to rush things along. However, the script kind of falters at times, namely that the story can quite muddled and jumbled at times. Characters come into the film and only come back later with minor significance, but you miss information because you spend too much time trying to remember who they were. This is Hollywoodland's biggest sin as it can come off as though there are too many characters and too much going on at times, which really muddle things up a bit. That being said, it is still a well made film that is quite entertaining with phenomenal acting performances.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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8
bfoore90Feb 1, 2022
This film looks and feels like old Hollywood. Hollywoodland is a compelling (at times) neo-noir film that investigates the mysterious death and complicated life of 1950s Icon George Reeves. If nothing else, it provides a look at the seedierThis film looks and feels like old Hollywood. Hollywoodland is a compelling (at times) neo-noir film that investigates the mysterious death and complicated life of 1950s Icon George Reeves. If nothing else, it provides a look at the seedier side of the bright lights and stars of Hollywood. Its an underrated film that i really feel gets looked over as far as noir driven mysteries go. I definitely recommend giving this film a shot!… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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8
DawdlingPoetNov 22, 2021
This is a very stylised movie, it uses alot of yellows and you could be forgiven for believing it was made in the 50s almost, though it is in colour.

I thought it was quite fascinating, trying to follow the story of both George and Lewis theThis is a very stylised movie, it uses alot of yellows and you could be forgiven for believing it was made in the 50s almost, though it is in colour.

I thought it was quite fascinating, trying to follow the story of both George and Lewis the detective.

I had heard about George Reeves before, there was a show on TV a while back, all about the 'Curse of Superman' (George played Superman on TV and ended up typecast in that role), to co-incide with the release of the then new 'Superman Returns' movie.

This has to be one for conspiracists I'm sure, who will be rooting for the truth to come out, I'd imagine. It was certainly a sad story and im sure plenty of people would be intrigued to find out if there was more to it, so to speak and its that interest that of course fuels interest in the movie.

You do get quite a sense of the frustration felt by George for being as 'stuck in a rut' as he clearly felt. Ben Affleck was quite a good choice for playing him, you could say that his career has also gone somewhat downhill. Perhaps he could relate to George in a way, Still, he's a good actor, portraying George as a flirtatious man, hoping for more.

Knowing that this is based on a real story did intrigue me more and I think its sad, it makes you think about what George's career did to his self image. Watching people in the cinema laugh and say out loud Supermans catchphrases when onre of George's other serious movies is being premiered, proving that all people saw him as was Superman, it made me feel sorry for him. You could see the frustration on George's face then and the embarrassment too.

Back to the cast and I also felt that Adrien Brody was a good choice to play one of the main characters. I thought he very much looked the part, playing the role of private detective and ultimately media circus mogul, with cynicism (to start with, anyway) and the more the movie goes on, curiosity, to find out the truth. His thinner frame certainly did seem somewhat more believable of people from that age I think (right?).

As the movie continues, it all gets rather murky, with events, post-death, taking a sinister turn. Was it really possible that George felt so typecast and utterly frustrated for not being taken as seriously as he may have wanted that he knowingly decided to take his own life? and the effect it causes on kids nearby is also documented, children who seem to make the link and find it hard to believe that so called Superman would be so undefeatable that he'd kill himself.

It, I suppose, does raise a number of issues and questions, about the media, self-image, being typecast and so on and also the sad ability to be able to apparently hide from the public how one really feels and sees oneself.

I do know that its somewhat easy to hide feelings, I have had times when I've been pretty low (nothing too serious I feel) and made a point of not showing that, so I can believe that this can happen. Its a horrific thing when anyone goes as far as to commit suicide though, of course, for those left behind.

The movie is well acted and interesting enough to just comfortable last until the end. It probably helps if you know at least the basic story behind it, of George Reeves and his career but its all covered in the movie, so I guess it isn't really essential.

If your not interested in slower paced drama/biopics, then this isn't for you. It probably provides, in some ways, more questions than answers, which, I guess, may annoy some, for example, not meaning to give too much away but the ending may disappoint some. All in all, I thought it was a well made movie, with a good cast and an interesting take on a real story. This is a well made movie, that will get you thinking. Ben Affleck and Adrien Brody in particular play their parts well, showing their curiosity, emotion and lack thereof, helping the viewer to become more intrigued with the storyline.

This may not be the fastest entertainiment movie around and probably not the most dramatic either but for anyone at all curious about the person that was George Reeves and the possible circumstances surrounding his death, this is well worth a watch. It may make you question how Hollywood works, I certainly couldn't help but feel sorry for the guy, seeing how he was stuck being seen as one character and one role only.… Expand
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