'Under The Silver Lake' (2018) Review
The follow-up of 'It Follows' (2014) is a giant departure from the horror genre, which for upcoming indie filmmakers a lot of the time doesn't end up going well. That, however, is not the case. This is David Robert Mitchell, and his sophomore feature is something worth talking about. To try and summarise the plot in a few sentences is to do the film a disservice, but I will give it my best shot: an aimless man becomes entangled in and obsessed with a surreal conspiracy after a girl in his apartment block goes missing. Imagine the strange lovechild of 'The Big Lebowski' (1998) and 'Mulholland Dr.' (2001), assuming films can somehow mate...
One of this films strongest aspects is the writing. The story has a unique way of unfolding in a way where you feel as if you are accompanying the protagonist along his uncovering of this great mystery. The plot is utterly unique and the twists and turns along the way keep you guessing throughout. There are some genius moments of dialogue, some hilarious and others intellectually placed satirical statements about conspiracy theories and messages in art. The great irony of the film, and the true genius of the writing, is that you become just as enveloped in the mystery as the protagonist you often find yourself deriving meaning from things that the writers have intentionally put there to mean nothing. In a way, the philosophical elements of the film remind me of early Haneke, as they intentionally try to annoy the audience and I love it.
The writing would be nothing if it were not acted properly - and thankfully it is. Andrew Garfield gives his best ever performance hands down (which almost redeems him from those Marc Webb Spider-Man films) and the supporting cast do an amazing job at bringing the quirkiness of this world to life. The protagonist is such a strange character, if it were acted by someone else it could easily come across as creepy, but the charm that Andre Garfield brings to the character means that he is one of the most entertaining I have seen in a long time. A rare occurrence of Patrick Fischler is welcome, and his conspiracy theory-obsessed 'Comic Man' is a joy to watch.
Visually, the film is stunning and original - with animated segments popping in and out, an abundance of wide angle lenses, and a dense colour palette the film is extremely varied in its aesthetics. Surprisingly for its budget, the film has a vast array of locations, which adds to the film remaining visually interesting - along with some exceptional set and costume design. All of these visual elements are complimented by the quirky score and  an interesting editing style, which creates a dreamlike sensation reminiscent of a David Lynch film.
Tonally, the film strikes an impressive balance between comedic and dramatic moments that most directors struggle with (hell, I was even genuinely scared at points). I admire the ambition and scale of this project, and it is clear it was the result of a lot of dedicated, passionate people. These are the types of films I wish would succeed in today's box office. I mean, do we not have enough super hero films?
This is certainly not a film I would recommend to everyone, if you know you are not a fan of absurdity in film then avoid this, as it is indeed very absurd. However, if you can stomach weirdness in film this film is a joy to watch, and I cannot wait to catch it a second time round.
8/10














