Mulholland Falls

Starring: Nick Nolte, Melanie Griffith, Chazz Palminteri, Michael Madsen, Chris Penn, Treat Williams, Jennifer Connelly, John Malkovich, Daniel Baldwin, Andrew McCarthy, Kyle Chandler, Ed Lautner, Titus Welliver, Aaron Neville, Bruce Dern (uncredited), Louise Fletcher (uncredited), Rob Lowe (uncredited), William Petersen (uncredited)
Directed by: Lee Tamahori
Rating: R
Genre: Drama, Mystery
1996

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: In Los Angeles, a special police unit designed to intimidate criminals investigates the murder of a woman connected to one of their own.

Review:

Tim: I enjoyed Mulholland Falls, although I have to admit it's the kind of film that does most everything well, and nothing really great. It's a perfectly respectable, entertaining movie, but it doesn't offer anything we haven't seen numerous times before. Still, Lee Tamahori's film should be celebrated because it's a solid piece of entertainment.

The film takes place in Los Angeles during the 1950s, a period often reflected in the movies. We follow this special police unit that operates under the radar and unconcerned about following the law and procedure. It's designed to get results, no matter the method. This close group of colleagues investigates the mysterious murder of a woman with whom the group lead has a secret connection. The movie does a good job of creating a mystery with multiple layers. We obviously want to find out who killed this woman, and as the police investigate, we get more and more pieces of the puzzle, which eventually suggest a fairly high-level conspiracy. There's a lot happening in this movie- we get introduced to a fairly large cast, each who play their part in the larger mystery. It's a fun movie to watch as the mystery unfolds. I never felt bored with the movie and enjoyed the journey. I don't know if I ever felt a connection with any of the characters, so my interest stayed at the intellectual, more surface level. We needed to care more about the characters. In the absence of that, the film is good, but it can't really get its hooks into us very deeply.

Speaking of the cast, it's fantastic. It's hard to believe all these actors got the chance to appear here together. Nick Nolte is in the lead role, and as I've gotten older, I've appreciated more and more of what a great actor Nolte is. Nolte's had a series of personal issues, including that infamous mug shot. I certainly don't condone his personal mistakes, but he's a heck of a talented actor. He's really good in this role. You absolutely believe him as the lead of this police squad. He plays the role with his flaws on full display, but you do like his character to a certain degree. That's so critical because you want him to keep digging, to discover the truth. Melanie Griffith is fine. I've never been a big fan of her and she didn't change my mind here. She has a fairly small role, but is decent in those scenes. Chazz Palminteri has a few nice moments. I've always liked him as an actor. Michael Madsen is always reliable as a supporting actor and he delivers another strong performance here. Chris Penn was fine, but forgettable.

Jennifer Connelly was quite excellent in her small role. We see her in a series of flashbacks, but she makes a much bigger impact on the film than you would have expected. With another actress in this role, it would have been a forgettable role. Connelly hits home with her performance. It's excellent and she emerges as one of the most memorable aspects of the film. John Malkovich is really good, too. His role is so critical and even without a lot of scenes, he makes a lasting impression. It felt like Malkovich really got to showcase his talent here, which was enjoyable. Daniel Baldwin was solid in a few small scenes. I enjoyed Andrew McCarthy's one scene. It was fun seeing Kyle Chandler and Titus Welliver in very small roles. Rob Lowe and William Petersen were enjoyable in small, uncredited roles. Bruce Dern was really good in his uncredited role, too. Treat Williams was fun to watch, too. I could go on and on about this cast- it's just stunning how many good actors showed up. Many of them get only a scene or two, but they all to the film.

The story itself is interesting because of the mystery of it, but it's not all that compelling. When you think about the story in its entirety, it's not quite as strong as it needed to be. The payoff at the end is somewhat anticlimactic. The ending features a fairly cool climax, but it doesn't quite feel as satisfying as it needed to be. I did appreciate that at 1 hour, 47 minutes, the movie didn't overstay it's welcome. I just wish that I cared more about the characters and that the story itself was more memorable. It's really fun seeing the different pieces come together, but the puzzle put together isn't all that great.

Mulholland Falls is a good movie and it's one I'm glad I watched. I'll likely forget much of what I saw here, which is too bad. However, it offers up an enjoyable viewing experience.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- 7



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: L.A. Confidential, Chinatown, Colors