Compelling 1950s set film noir/ true story, based on an independent investigation into the tragic / mysterious death of 'Superman' actor George Reeves (played with humour, depth & pathos by Ben Affleck). 'Hollywoodland' sees an on form Adrian Brody as archetypal private eye Louis Simo; a hard drinking, media savvy gumshoe who's never short of a witty comeback, Simo initially sees reopening the George Reeves case (officially ruled a suicide) as a way to make a quick buck. But soon gets drawn into a labyrinthine conspiracy, which implicates Reeve's fiancée (Robin Tunney) older ex-lover (Diane Lane's best performance since 'A Perfect Storm') her crook husband / movie magnate (Bob Hoskins), an irredeemably corrupt LAPD along with a whole host of industry goons & plutocrats: Was it murder or suicide? 'Hollywoodland' isn't prepared to confirm or deny anything, for whilst writer/ editor Paul Brenbaum's well researched script does drop some heavy hints, novice director Allen Coulter simply lays out all the pieces and leaves it up to us to put the puzzle together.
'Hollywoodland' is essentially a character study of Reeves & Simo, worlds apart at first glance, but caught up in the same miasma of consumerism, show biz sniping and soul-destroying charades of Hollywood corporatism. Ben Affleck portrays Reeves as an amiable everyman, frustrated at being typecast yet haunted by the notion that Superman may be as good as gets for him. My faith in Affleck's acting ability is fully restored by a tour-de-force performance which depicts a flawed, but decent, actor who may've been better than the sum of his parts, though the heartbreaking 8mm show-reel suggests otherwise, and is as moving a scene as Martin Landau's last hurrah in 'Ed Wood'. A subplot that deals with Louis Simo's divorce and how he's trying to make time to see his kid (who, like many others, is traumatised by the death of his onscreen idol) seems somewhat out of place in 1959; an era when an ordinary suburban couple would've probably stuck it out in keeping with societal norms. In fact, it would've made for better picture if Simo's home life was constantly grating against his mission to uncover the truth (i.e. like Kevin Costner's Jim Garrison in 'JFK'). 'Hollywoodland' is a serious and entertaining film with classical narrative sensibilities, good performances (Affleck in particular) and shot with a confidence & style that successfully recreates the (not so) good old days in Tinsel Town.