Review Copyright Cassandra Henry, 2003

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"I haven't been a great parent, but I've always loved you." -- Jane CASS' CLIP (WARNING: **spoilers below**) From early on, Sam (Christian Bale) always believed his mother Jane (Frances McDormand) loved her career as a record producer and free-spirited lifestyle more than she loved him. Quite naturally, the impressionable and watchful eye of young Sam observed Jane's hedonistic way of life. But this flower child's indulgences didn't stop her from providing Sam with all the material comforts - a house in Malibu and a home in Laurel Canyon. So what career path did Sam take because of unresolved issues with his mother? Psychiatry, of course. And what type of woman will Sam most likely fall in love with? Obviously, someone totally opposite from his mother. Sam meets his future wife, Alex (Kate Beckinsale), at Harvard Medical School. Alex's supportive parents and straight-laced upbringing, pales in comparison to Sam's dysfunctional childhood. Alex is also finishing her dissertation on the reproduction of fruit flies. After Sam is offered a residency at a Los Angeles hospital, they move back to California. [Somehow, all roads eventually led back home]. As we take a backseat and drive with Sam and Alex on Laurel Canyon's winding road, you sense that this ride is a metaphor for things both past and present. Or, if you have vertigo, events up ahead will spin out of control. First roadblock - instead of Jane being at her Malibu home, she's at the Laurel Canyon house when they arrive. Why? Because the British rock band she is currently producing isn't finished recording their latest album. And, true to Jane's nature, she is also sleeping with the band's lead singer, Ian (Alessandra Nivola). Not a problem, Sam and Alex can move into the Malibu house. Nope, the Malibu house is already occupied by one of Jane's ex's. Now these uptight preppies must stay in the guesthouse until they find a place of their own. Second roadblock - On rounds at the hospital, Sam and his fellow residents are introduced to second-year resident, Sara (Natascha McElhone). Sara is intoxicatingly beautiful and it's easy to see where this storyline is headed. Third roadblock - The longer Sam and Alex stay with Jane, Jane's sex, drugs and rock ‘n' roll ambiance lures Alex into a world of confusion and temptation. [Think of it as the sheltered daughter of a Baptist minister who finally meets the devil in the real world and goes crazy shedding her good girl persona]. Will the paths all these characters are headed down cause them to tumble down the hill or will some twist of fate keep them from careening over the embankment of reality and choice? DA 411 Laurel Canyon is written and directed by Lisa Cholodenko. I didn't see her first film, High Art, so I'm curious to see the similarities, if any, between these films. Regardless, what works for Laurel Canyon is Frances McDormand's portrayal of an unapologetic woman approaching her 50's, but still living the life of a flirtatious record producer 20 years past her prime. [Ever since Fargo, I've been a big Frances McDormand fan]. In this role, McDormand stays true to Jane's hippie-styled character and never shortchanges the audience out of being something that she's not. On the other hand, I quickly grew tired of the other characters played by Christian Bale, Kate Beckinsale, Alessandra Nivola and Natascha McElhone. Their characterizations were pathetically predictable and I didn't care about what happened to them. The big climatic scene between Jane and Sam is pretty lame. "I've made lots of mistakes and I live with them everyday, especially knowing how much I've disappointed you. I haven't been a great parent, but I've always loved you," Jane says to Sam. I can't believe I sat through this movie just to hear that. But the straw that broke the camel's back and pissed me off even more are two pointless scenes with Jane, Alex and Ian. YUCK!!! Watching Laurel Canyon is like driving from New York to California smoking a joint, and finding out that you drove cross-country for nothing because California had moved east. What a wasted trip. CASS' CONCLUSION Laurel Canyon is one of those Indie flicks attempting to titillate the audience with screwed up characters delivering conversational dialogue in unnecessary scenes. LC really deserves a red light rating, but I'm only giving it a yellow light because of Frances McDormand, and the soundtrack ain't half bad. LAUREL CANYON:   back to top Copyright Cassandra Henry, 2003 EMAIL: cass@3blackchicks.com