Years ago, I bought a map to the stars. It cost one dollar. I bought it from a street vendor on Sunset Boulevard. I didn't buy it because I hoped to spot celebrities, but because searching for the homes of the stars is one of those fun, crazy things to do when you're visiting Los Angeles. I also drove the length of Mulholland Drive, just for the sake of it. Tourists driving through Beverly Hills or admiring the Walk of Fame are an essential part of Hollywood's crazy, surreal ecosystem.
In fact, there are no tourists in David Cronenburg's 'Maps to the Stars'. The map itself is just briefly mentioned once. But everything else is there. An aging actress, desperate to get a part in a movie about her own mother. An obnoxious 13 year old child actor, recently released from rehab. An aspiring actor/screenplay writer, earning a living by driving a limo. They are all linked in some way or another, and talk the typical Hollywood talk about knowing and having met important people.
Cronenburg's message is crystal clear: Hollywood is completely f*cked up and there are no sane persons. The symbolism is as explicit as it can be: already in one of the first scenes a burned down ruin beneath the Hollywood Sign is visited. Later on, the aging actress is beaten to death with an Oscar-like statue. Subtlety is not the strongest point of 'Maps to the Stars'.
The whole film is over the top in a very sarcastic way. The dialogue is sometimes hilarious, and sometimes ridiculous. It's a thin line between the two. The same can be said about the acting. Julianne Moore outdoes herself in playing an outrageous and deranged character (something she has considerable experience in). Almost none of the actors play in a natural way - they are visibly doing an effort to portray a crazy character. Of course it's meant to be that way, but it's not everyone's cup of tea. Added to that are some vintage Cronenburg themes like incest, kinky sex and traumas from the past.
This is a rather outrageous movie. That's a good thing, because there are already enough run-of-the-mill films. But I think it's too outrageous to be really good. The 'Sunset Boulevard' of the 21st century it is definitely not.
In fact, there are no tourists in David Cronenburg's 'Maps to the Stars'. The map itself is just briefly mentioned once. But everything else is there. An aging actress, desperate to get a part in a movie about her own mother. An obnoxious 13 year old child actor, recently released from rehab. An aspiring actor/screenplay writer, earning a living by driving a limo. They are all linked in some way or another, and talk the typical Hollywood talk about knowing and having met important people.
Cronenburg's message is crystal clear: Hollywood is completely f*cked up and there are no sane persons. The symbolism is as explicit as it can be: already in one of the first scenes a burned down ruin beneath the Hollywood Sign is visited. Later on, the aging actress is beaten to death with an Oscar-like statue. Subtlety is not the strongest point of 'Maps to the Stars'.
The whole film is over the top in a very sarcastic way. The dialogue is sometimes hilarious, and sometimes ridiculous. It's a thin line between the two. The same can be said about the acting. Julianne Moore outdoes herself in playing an outrageous and deranged character (something she has considerable experience in). Almost none of the actors play in a natural way - they are visibly doing an effort to portray a crazy character. Of course it's meant to be that way, but it's not everyone's cup of tea. Added to that are some vintage Cronenburg themes like incest, kinky sex and traumas from the past.
This is a rather outrageous movie. That's a good thing, because there are already enough run-of-the-mill films. But I think it's too outrageous to be really good. The 'Sunset Boulevard' of the 21st century it is definitely not.