David Lynch's new film Mulholland Drive is incredibly scary, not because of its monsters or gruesome violence, but because it follows two uniquely vulnerable characters--Rita (Laura Harring), an amnesiac car crash survivor, and Betty (Naomi Watts), an almost painfully naive aspiring actress who is new to Los Angeles--as they navigate a world that has resulted from human greed and the machinations of a sinister and mysterious criminal underworld. The way the story unfolds maintains for the audience an almost constant fear for Betty and Rita, not because they're in any extreme danger, but because they seem so incapable of taking care of themselves.
Focusing on just those two characters, though, would be a gross oversimplification of the movie. As he has in the past, Lynch incorporates a large number of seemingly unrelated characters and storylines. For instance, in one of the more significant subplots, Lynch incorporates a character who seems quite analogous to himself: Adam Kesher (Justin Theroux), a young director pitting his artistic integrity against sinister producers and backers.
The interwoven subplots serve as strengths and weaknesses. The many disjointed and often confusing characters and plot lines make the film difficult to follow. But as a result, the viewer has no idea what may be behind the next corner.
So while some coherence may have been sacrificed in the name of surprise (but remember: it's David Lynch), ultimately the film is a tremendous success: Lynch's spooky, exciting and, above-all, original story is brought to life by fantastic performances by each of the leading actors.
