Under the Silver Lake (dir. David Robert Mitchell), 2019

Andrew Garfield : Under the Silver Lake :: Naomi Watts : Mulholland Drive.

Let that analogy marinate for a moment. Hopefully, in a decade or so, it will be an SAT question, forcing generations of kids to watch career-best (and Oscar-less) performances by my favorite actor and actress in trippy Los Angeles films. To clarify, before delving into Under the Silver Lake, it is important to note that writer-director David Robert Mitchell is no David Lynch, nor is the film quite the all-time masterpiece Mulholland Drive has revealed itself to be. Yet, for such an odd premise and long runtime (clocking in at 140 minutes) Under the Silver Lake always remains engaging, wildly fun, and slightly confusing without losing its audience. Anchored by its sole lead, Andrew Garfield, Under the Silver Lake navigates the mysterious disappearance and death of a famous billionaire and three young women from the perspective of jobless, broke, and obsessive Sam.

Sam, facing an impending eviction, is enamored with his new neighbor, Sarah (Riley Keough). He spies on her in the pool and even watches her from his window half-naked as his naked fuck-buddy lies in bed, curious as to what he’s watching. He finally gets the chance to meet Sarah and watch a movie at her place, before her two roommates come home and abruptly end their night. The next day he learns the trio moved out overnight only to wind up killed in a car accident with billionaire Jefferson Sevence. Sam is taken on an absurd and intriguing journey full of twists and turns in an effort to discover what really happened. Guided by a local artist’s graphic novel, Under the Silver Lake, Sam discovers hidden messages in pop songs and cereal boxes, underground lairs, and a hidden community existing in plain sight. Under the Silver Lake never strays too far into the non-sense, though it gets close, and constantly builds a world which remains to feel grounded in reality. By the end, it all comes full circle, and any lingering questions or head-scratching moments that preceded the final scene suddenly make sense.

For the popularity of A24, this film is a forgotten gem that essentially was screwed over by several delayed releases on behalf of the studio. Now, this likely would never have been an Oscar contender, but it could have had the cult and pop-culture status of other A24 releases like Midsommar. Labeled a neo-noir black comedy conspiracy thriller film (actually, that does fit), there are several technical elements that join forces to pull off a seemingly absurd plot. The score, tight editing style, and erratically restrained (yes, it’s a thing) cinematography enhance the tone and story-telling angle of Under the Silver Lake. The final and most crucial element is Andrew Garfield, whose pitch-perfect performance holds it all together. Any of the minor flaws the film has are well masked by the technical achievements and the immense pleasure one should enjoy while watching.

Under the Silver Lake is available on Amazon Prime streaming platform.