Laurel Canyon

Starring:Frances McDormand, Christian Bale, Kate Beckinsale, Natascha McElhone, Alessandro Nivola, Lou Barlow, Russell Pollard, Imaad Wasif, Mickey Petralia, Melissa De Sousa, Alexandra Carter, Michelle DeMirjian, Rick Gonzalez, Dennis Howard, Catherine McGoohan, Judith Montgomery, Patricia Place, Willo Hausman, Greg Wolfson, Brandy Nightingale
Director: Lisa Cholodenko
Studio: Sony Pictures
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

When young psychiatrist Sam (Christian Bale), the son of record producer Jane (Frances McDormand), brings his girlfriend Alex (Kate Beckinsale) to stay at his mother's house, he's expecting that Jane will be gone--but a delay in finishing an album with a British rocker named Ian (Alessandro Nivola) has kept her there. Instantly, the tensions of Sam's counterculture childhood set off a series of betrayals and attractions that threaten to wreck Sam and Alex's relationship. Director Lisa Cholodenko has a keen eye for the behavior, delineating doctors and musicians by the ways they talk and greet each other--it's an almost anthropological study of different tribes. Laurel Canyon lacks the focused story of High Art, Cholodenko's previous movie, and some viewers may find the ways the characters change too subtle to be rewarding; but for others, the rich, detailed performances will be a pleasure worth having. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

Frances McDormand shines in a movie filled with one-dimensional characters.......2007-06-14

In Laurel Canyon, Christian Bale plays Sam, a man working into his thirties to escape the chaos of life with his rock-star mom, Jane (Frances McDormand). He finished Harvard medical school and picked up fiancée Alex, a dual PhD/MD (played by Kate Bekinsdale). Sam and Alex plan to stay at Jane's Laurel Canyon home while he completes his residency. Sam tries to shield Alex from Jane's casual parties and hipster friends, but Alex is drawn to the life of excess, and Sam faces losing yet another aspect of his life to his larger-than-life free-spirited mom. At the same time, however, Sam is madly infatuated with a drop-dead gorgeous foreign second-year-resident at his job.

Frances McDormand carries the entire film as the aging hipster mom (she's hot, she's rock n' roll, and she doesn't give a damn what anyone else thinks), but the brilliance of her acting job is counterbalanced by the one-dimensional nature of the fiancée/future daughter-in-law character. The viewer is never convinced of Alex's attraction to Jane's sex, drugs, and rock n' roll lifestyle. For that matter, the viewer is never convinced of Sam's attraction to his co-worker on anything other than an animal lust nature, which seems to go against everything Sam stands for.

McDormand plays a woman who finally matures in her late forties, and who, by the end of the film, has taken baby steps to repair her relationship with her son. The other characters are mere shadows around Jane's transformation. The movie has an ambiguous ending that leaves much to be desired--it is as if the filmmakers felt tying it all up would be too challenging, so the work is left to the viewer.

East Coast establishment encounters West Coast crazies .......2007-02-06

Uptight girl from Harvard Med School travels with her boyfriend to LA to stay at his Mom's house and while there faces the temptations resulting from exposure to West Coast free-spirited pot smoking types. Almost destroys relationship. Sound trite? It is. Characters lack depth with the exception of the Mom played by Frances McDormand and the ultimately the film takes itself way too seriously.

All-around great.......2006-07-06

Killer soundtrack, cast, writing... you name it. As a lover of both indie music and indie film, I've had this movie as one of my favorites for a long time now. The songs chosen were an introduction for me to a lot of great lesser-known indie bands.

PUT THIS IN YOUR PIPE AND SMOKE IT.......2006-06-22

Frances McDormand (FARGO) is the big star in this tale of culture clash via generations. She portrays Jane, the tough, pot-smoking record-producing mother of conservative son, Sam, who just graduated as a shrink and now works with psychotics. Sam brings his girlfriend to stay at his mother's house. In a reversal of generational roles, Sam does not approve of his mother's lifestyle and history with multiple lovers. So, after a few days with mum, he decides to seek quarters elsewhere. Before they can escape his mother's digs, complications pop up and Sam's inexperienced girlfriend becomes seduced by the wilder goings-on surrounding Jane while Sam catches the eye of an attractive co-worker. LAUREL CANYON is basically an eventless movie and more a character study. Or perhaps an examination of artsy life in Laurel Canyon. As such, it is pretty decent with some very natural moral statements made by director Cholodenko. The performances are good and the direction and production values excellent. For a laid-back film experience put LAUREL CANYON in your pipe and smoke it.

Laurel Canyon.......2006-06-16

"Laurel Canyon" is an unexpected, low-key, and marvelous film with an awesome cast that is just really a good movie. The film stars Oscar Winner Frances McDormand (Best Actress, Fargo) as Jane, a record producer who lives on Laurel Canyon. Christian Bale (Batman Begins) stars as Sam, Jane's son who happens to be a doctor. Kate Beckinsale (Underworld, The Aviator) plays Alex, Sam's fiancee. Anyway, for a reason I forget; Sam and Alex move into the house with Jane, who appears to be (what to me would be) a really cool mom...Sam doesn't see it that way and is worried about Alex's reaction. It doesn't help that a rock star named Ian (Alessandro Nivola, who gives an inspired performance) lives there while he records an album with his band and has sex with Jane. The movie has a few weird turns and goes into quite a few directions; but the dialogue is so good, the acting is so great, and the story is so interesting...It really doesn't matter. I'd say, although this isn't really a good reason, the only downside to the movie was the lack of nudity. But, this is a good movie and I highly recommend checking it out.

GRADE: A-

Average customer rating:

Title to Murder

Manufacturer: Laurel Canyon Distribution
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Product Description

A fast-paced and riviting murder mystery. Maureen McCormick plays Leah Farrell, a title examiner who is targeted for murder when she stumbles across a mob deal. Christopher Atkins plays District Attorney Paul Shaugnessy, who needs to move fast if he's to save her.

Average customer rating:

Frances McDormand shines in a movie filled with one-dimensional characters
East Coast establishment encounters West Coast crazies
All-around great
PUT THIS IN YOUR PIPE AND SMOKE IT
Laurel Canyon

Laurel Canyon [Region 2]
Starring: Frances McDormand , Christian Bale , Kate Beckinsale , Natascha McElhone , and Alessandro Nivola
Director: Lisa Cholodenko
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( L ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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