Hollywoodland (on DVD)

Hollywoodland is a mixed film with some good bits and some not so good bits

The good bit is the story of George Reeves, best known for playing Superman in a TV show in the 1950's

The George Reeve's story is a tale of failed ambition, of initial promises that lead nowhere and a struggle to carry on. George Reeves had an auspicious debut in a small but striking part in "Gone With the Wind". Wanting a Clark Gable career, Reeves ended up playing Superman on TV, at a time when TV was regarded as a slum, while having his life subsidised by the wife of a movie mogul. This was not as bad as it sounds. The Movie Mogul wife really loved him, and he was the idol of the nation for playing Superman.

However, Reeves wanted more and felt capable of more and Ben Affleck who plays Reeves really makes us believe so.

After Superman, Reeve unsuccessfully attempts a career in directing and producing. Failing that he tries for a TV wrestling show capitalising on his notoriety as Superman.

I liked George Reeves story, because it could be the story of so many of us. We have this vision of ourselves of what we would like to be, but never quite make it. Ben Affleck plays George Reeves with incredible empathy (no doubt helped by his own downfall) and subtlety I hadn't thought him capable of.

Unfortunately George Reeves is only half the story. The other story follows Louis Simo, a low rent detective, played by Adrien Brody as he tries to uncover the truth about George Reeves shooting death (which starts the film), while having issues with his divorced wife, who has custody of their son. This story is a plot device given too much screen time. Despite being a good actor, Brody isn't able to do much with role that shouldn't have existed in the first place.

Why introduce a cliché of a detective? Also, the film has no answers about Reeves death. Was it suicide? Did Reeves jilted fiancé did it? Did the Movie Mogul did it? Nobody knows, and all the film manages is to present all options and make a case for each.

To make up for all this lameness, we have Adrian Brodie's character giving up alcohol and forming a meaningful relationship with his son.

With a name like Hollywoodland, the film should have just stayed within Hollywood. Instead of Adrien Brodie, I would have preferred more of The MGM movie mogul played by Bob Hoskins and his wife, Reeves lover, played by Diane Lane. A recreation of Gone With the Wind would also have been fun.