Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #13152 in DVD
• Released on: 2007-02-06
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: AC-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English, French
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish, French
• Dubbed in: French
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 127 minutes

Amazon.com
The fact-based mystery of Hollywoodland takes place in 1959, when the death of Adventures of Superman TV star George Reeves cast a pall over the waning days of golden-age Hollywood. As written by Paul Bernbaum, this intriguing whodunit effectively evokes the tainted atmosphere that surrounded Reeves' death (officially ruled a suicide but never conclusively solved), and speculates on circumstances to suggest that Reeves may have been murdered. In combining the melancholy course of Reeves' career with the investigation of a down-and-out private detective into the possible causes of Reeves' death, the film evolves into an engrossing study of parallels between lives on either side of the Hollywood dream. Building upon a distinguished career in TV including episodes of HBO's The Sopranos, Rome and Six Feet Under, director Allen Coulter finds a satisfying balance between the tragic overtones of the Reeves case and the time-honored elements of the gumshoe genre, with Adrien Brody doing fine work as private eye Louis Simo, a fictional composite character who is our conduit to the desperate yearnings of Reeves' final months.

In a critically acclaimed performance, Ben Affleck plays Reeves in moody flashbacks, caught between Superman stardom and financial dependence on his lover Toni Mannix (Diane Lane), the somewhat predatory wife of Hollywood "fixer" and MGM honcho Eddie Mannix (Bob Hoskins), whose mob connections suggest foul play as Simo's investigation progresses. Reeves' subsequent lover (played by Robin Tunney) may also be culpable, and as Simo's own personal life unravels, his empathy for Reeves takes on added significance. In presenting its mystery as a set of plausible scenarios, Hollywoodland holds interest as a mystery that's refreshingly compassionate toward the fate of its characters. Warts and all, they're likable dreamers in a town where dreams don't always come true. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews

Murder or Suicide?
Shadow Watcher
Nobody Drowns in Mineral Lake

"Who killed Superman?"

The LAPD, back in 1957, claimed that actor George Reeves, who played the superhero on television for many years, committed suicide, but other people have speculated that it was either his fiance', or even a professional "hit," ordered by MGM executive Eddie Mannix, whose wife, Toni, had had a long-term affair with Reeves.

This handsomely-filmed crime thriller, which does an excellent job of recreating Hollywood of that golden era, reexamines the case from the point-of-view of a sleazy, fictional detective, played by Adrien Brody. His life seems to parallel that of Reeves', as he is hired by the dead actor's mother (Lois Smith) to investigate the case.

During his travels, Brody uncovers the relationship between second-rate actor Reeves (Ben Affleck in a performance that deserved an Oscar nomination), and the much older Toni Mannix (Diane Lane). He also encounters the power of the studios and their ability to arrange a cover-up of what really happened to Reeves.

Bob Hoskins as Eddie Mannix, Robin Tunney as Reeves' fiance' and Joe Spano as MGM publicity head Howard Strickling are part of a fine cast that brings this compelling true story to life.

DVD extras include deleted scenes, audio commentary by director Allen Coulter and three above-average "Behind the Scenes" featurettes, which discuss old Hollywood and the actual Reeves case.

Michael B. Druxman, author of ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD (available December 2008)

Mildly entertaining...
but in the end, it sort of falls flat. The main reason is because the film refuses to take a position. It doesn't have to be the truth, but just this detective's point of view or position. Instead, in the end, the message is: we don't what happened. Geez, I sat through all that to be back where I started? And as much as I like Brody, his character in this film is dull as dishwater. I care nothing about him or his issues. Why should I? This film shouldn't even be about him. Affleck, compare to his usual flare, did a decent job, but it's still not anything to really write home about. I thought Diane Lane was the most impressive by far. This film will keep your attention if you have nothing else to do, but there are other ways to pass the time.

EVEN SUPERMAN COULDN'T SAVE THIS MOVIE!
OMG!! Could this movie be any worse?! I thought that Ben Affleck had finally gotten a role that he could sink his teeth into. But all he did was SHOW his teeth, cheesing like an idiot the whole time, even when he was in pain.

The problem with this story is that THERE IS NO STORY! The plot and sub-plots make no sense and fall flat. Based on supposition and theory, this is an attempt to make George Reeves death more spectacular than his boring life. I remember when "Superman" died. Even as a child I thought there was some kind of conspiracy around his death but I still believe that it was perpetrated by Lex Luthor. Everyone knows that bullets bounce off "The Man of Steel", that he could only be felled by Kryptonite. That's the angle that PI-on-welfare Adrien Brody should have investigated since the one advanced in this movie is lame. I mean, "The Usual Suspect", Eddie Mannix (Bob Hoskins) the husband of George Reeves' lover, Toni Mannix (Diane Lane), SHOULD have had Reeves shot! Along with this director Allen Coulter!

Affleck, while dressed nice for a change, is just as wooden and flat as George Reeves was. That's why he was broke when he died - HE COULDN'T ACT HIS WAY OUT OF A PAPER BAG! I was only 9 when he died but even I could see that he had no real talent. Why else would he put on those ugly tights!? And Affleck isn't much better here. Moving like an "Transformer" throughout the film, he looked so bored faking an orgasm that one wonders what made J-Lo so stupid over him? From that one scene, we know what it WASN'T!!

In the movie's defense, the production captured the feel of "film noir" with great camerawork and editing. But other than that, this is a forgettable version of whatever happened to Superman that night.