Under the Silver Lake Review

For Sam, the protagonist of writer/director David Robert Mitchells neo-noir film Under the Silver Lake, everything is worth questioning, and it’s not long before he becomes congested with theories, codes, riddles and symbols. His mind spins, attempting to decipher if anything is more than what it seems. For much of his journey, and long after the films 140-minute runtime, many who see Under the Silver Lake will be doing the same thing. Mitchell has created a cryptic and bizarre story that begs to be decoded, often cultivating a series of elaborate and grandiose events only to reveal nothing. Although what Under the Silver Lake culminates into may be an underwhelming denouement for most, it is a film that is undoubtedbly brimming with ideas and originality.

In 2015, David Robert Mitchell made himself known with his sophomore effort It Follows, an atmospheric 80’s inspired horror film that contained a gripping and focused narrative filled with sexual metaphors. Four years later, he has returned with a film that has much more ambition. Although Under the Silver Lake shares many of the same stylistic positives as his 2015 success, such as the unsettling slow pans and beautifully fitting score, there is a clear shoot for the stars approach taken by Mitchell this time around. Challenging so many ideas and motives at a frantic pace. This would often be a burden to most films, but there’s a charming self awareness to Under the Silver Lakes mesmeric incoherency, shifting tone so rapidly that it quickly becomes enthralling.

Under the Silver Lake follows Sam, an anxious and obsessive burnout who watches his days go by through his binoculars, spying on the swimmers of his apartment buildings pool while simultaneously facing the threat of eviction. One night, Sam hits it off with a bubbly blonde named Sarah, a woman who has just recently been hanging around Sam’s building. When Sarah mysteriously vanishes the morning after, Sam takes it upon himself to figure out what has happened to her. Sending him down a rabbit hole of scandal, sex and conspiracy that is much larger than what he set out to find.

There’s a dreamlike quality to how Mitchell tells his story. Themes, emotions and observations float hypnotically from one colourful Los Angeles locale to another. Scenes are wonderfully edited to give an array of tension, humour and confusion, creating a fictional world that becomes increasingly unpredictable.

The film does have a tipping point: at the start of its final act, it becomes clear that Under the Silver Lake has bitten off more than it can chew, forcing Mitchell to mold what’s still coherent into a lackluster ending. With a running time that is over 2 hours, many of its lesser ideas could have been cut out in order to spend more time clearing up the more layered plot points.

However, Under the Silver Lakes poor ending doesn’t take away from it’s captivating first and second act. The films constantly puzzling narrative is sure to get mixed opinions, yet it’s hard to argue that what David Robert Mitchell has created isn’t memorable. Despite the trip being much better than the destination.

The memorable storytelling, captivating originality and high energy of Under the Silver Lake helps forgive it from an unsatisfying conclusion.

Produced By: A24
Runtime: 140 minutes
Rating: R