Movie Review: Under the Silver Lake (2019)

I feel very comfortable calling this both one of the strangest and most original movies I’ve ever seen. It’s absolutely hypnotic at times, though it doesn’t feel like it leads to a whole lot. That’s by design, of course, but I don’t think the sum was equal to the strength of its parts.

Andrew Garfield plays Sam, a lazy unemployed Los Angeles resident, who falls for his neighbor, Sarah (Riley Keough). When she disappears without warning, he begins an investigation that leads to plenty of strange occurrences.

I had really been looking forward to this movie. As a follow-up to David Robert Mitchell’s brilliant It Follows, it already had my attention, but that trailer was outstanding. I wouldn’t be surprised to find that it’s the trailer I’ve seen more than any other trailer. It fascinated me. What was this movie?

Having seen it, I still don’t really know. It’s a mystery film. It’s surreal. It’s comedic. It’s somewhat satirical. It’s a thriller. It’s a drama. It’s absurd. It’s a love letter to Old Hollywood. It’s decidedly modern. It’s clearly horror-inspired.

At times, it felt like the type of movie Alfred Hitchcock would make were he around today. And that’s really the highest compliment I can give any film, considering he is my favorite director of all time.

But it’s just so delightfully strange, as well.

It’s certainly not a movie for everyone, but I was fascinated by it. The ending left me wanting more, though. The story seems so intricate and detailed, but the ending makes you realize there really wasn’t that much story there. Not all of the loose threads were tied together, and while I have no doubt that this was intentional, it did leave me feeling a bit empty.

I’d still recommend it. It’s incredibly ambitious, and quite entertaining. It’s a unique experience.

Rating: 7/10