Mulholland Drive (R, 2001)

common sense media says

Fascinating movie for adults only.


parents & educators say
  • 71% say sexual content is an issue
  • 43% say violence is an issue

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this movie has very explicit nudity and sexual situations, including lesbian encounters and masturbation. It also has very strong language, violence, a dead body, and disturbing images.

Violence: A dead body and disturbing images.
Sex: Nudity, explicit lesbian encounter, masturbation, sexual references.
Language: Very strong language.
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Drinking and smoking.

More on Mulholland Drive

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about David Lynch's avant-garde approach to filmmaking.

What's the story?

What's the story?
David Lynch's MULHOLLAND DRIVE is not a story but a mosaic of stories, eras, moods, characters, and themes that intersect, overlap, and parallel like a dream. A luscious brunette (Laura Harring) is about to be shot by a limo driver when a car filled with carousing teenagers slams into the limo. The brunette limps away and hides out in an apartment. She has amnesia, and when asked her name, she says "Rita," as in Rita Hayworth. Betty (Naomi Watts), a fresh-faced ingenue hoping to make it as an actress in LA, tries to help Rita find out who she is. Meanwhile, young director Adam (Justin Theroux) is pressured by some very dangerous-looking guys to give a particular actress the lead in his new movie. Themes of dreams and reality, identity and anonymity, innocence and corruption, creativity and conformity, ripple and resonate in the scenes that follow. Eventually, Betty turns into Diane, who used to be dead, and Betty's aunt's landlady, or is it Adam's mother, is played by 1940's musical star Ann Miller, and all of this does not seem as out of place as it otherwise might. Betty tells Rita that she wants to help her solve the mystery because "It'll be just like in the movies."

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
If you like movies that make sense, Mulholland Drive isn't for you. On the other hand, if Twin Peaks was just too upbeat and linear for you and you feel that the references in Blue Velvet were just too obvious and jejune, then this movie is for you. Watts and Herring are outstanding. Betty practices her corny audition scene with Rita with a competent but conventional reading. Then, when she gets to the audition, she completely turns it around, leaving us as breathless as the characters in the scene. Watts later suddenly becomes an entirely different character who has an entirely different history with "Rita" and carries it off splendidly.

Lynch cast unknowns as the leads but populated the margins of the film with old-time stars and semi-stars. This embellishes his themes and adds to the dreamy, half-remembered quality of the story. In addition to Miller, the cast includes Lee Grant, Robert Forster, and the star of the 1960's television show, Medical Center, Chad Everett.

Movie themes & details

Movie Details
Studio: Universal Pictures
Director: David Lynch
Cast: Billy Ray Cyrus, Laura Harring, Naomi Watts
Genre: Drama
Run time: 147 minutes
Theatrical release: October 12, 2001
DVD release: April 9, 2002
MPAA Rating: R
MPAA explanation: violence, language and some strong sexuality

This review was written by Nell Minow
 
 

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What parents & educators say

14
Based on 7 parent & educator reviews:
  • 71% say sexual content is an issue
  • 43% say violence is an issue
  • 29% say language is an issue
  • 29% say there's too much drinking, drugs, or smoking

Most useful reviews by all members

 
One of the best artistic adult movies for those that understand metaphor.
This is a cerebral and artistic movie that many people have struggled through, especially those that have trouble with metaphors and expect a direct story arc. You can talk at length about the film without giving away any spoilers: the greater themes involve our lack of objectivity in relationships and the paradox within the vocation of acting. Some of the metaphors are so direct, they are elusive. There is a literal "little man behind a curtain", a literal "key" that is found by the main character when one of the movies punchlines is revealed, and a literal "pandoras box" that is opened by the key. The dream is the reality in this movie, so be prepared to see it with an open mind that is ready to be engaged. I would not recommend this movie for children. Most take caution with the intense romantic scene with two women, and the depraved scene of masturbation. I would caution parents more against the complexity of the movie - many adults have difficulty "getting it". Only the most mature and contemplative children would stand a chance of understanding what is happening.

 
What am I watching?!
Okay, first of all, what's with the ending? I don't want to give anything away, but those who have seen it hopefully will know what I am talking about. I don't know whether it is supposed to be artsy or metaphorical or just a drug-induced trip, but I seriously misunderstood the ending. That's the main reason why I didn't like this movie, and in my opinion, it's a good one. The other thing that makes me mad is that the movie was actually pretty decent up until the last half hour. Don't you hate it when a good movie is ruined by a lousy ending? I know I do, and this isn't the first time! Parents: This is a seriously sadistic movie. There's aberrant violent images abound. It's a tense film with plenty of images you just don't want inside you or your kids' heads. Bottom Line: I recommend this only if you like very trippy, psychadelic mind trips, because that's what you'll get. Thanks for reading! - Movie Man

ShadowX
adult
 
Mesmerizing!
This is one of the best movies I have ever seen. Even if you cannot completely understand it its dreamlike imagery is mesmerizing. Naomi Watts also gives the performance of a lifetime as Betty...

thejokerspencil
parent of and 3 , 11 , 12 , 17 year old
 
WOW!
You will never seen another movie like this again. A must see but the most strong movie ever.The only film I will say for ADULTS ONLY.

slantmaster
parent of 5 year old
 

who3697cares
teen, 18 years old
 
Ranks among the best things Mr. Lynch has done.

 
Not for kids and a dud for adults
About the first third is ok. Interesting characters are introduced and suspense builds as you see snipits of their stories. Then you wait to see how all this weaves together. And you wait, and wait, and wait. Meanwhile the story just gets more weird and incomprehinsible and doesn't know how to finish what could have been a good start. I felt cheated.

bubbo
adult
 
Mulholland Drive
Easily one of the strangest and most confusing films I've ever seen, Mulholland Dr. is also a captivating and intriguing film. Most people will probably hate it, but for some reason I was fascinated by it...some scenes are very suspenseful and creepy, others are wonderfully strange and surreal. However, this movie does earn its R-rating. There are some deeply disturbing images, and about two or three graphic sexual scenes.

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