In 2018, four years after making waves in the horror world withIt Follows, David Robert Mitchell released a very different film. A24’sUnder the Silver Lakeembraced the mysticism often found in horror, but it defied conventional scares. Instead, Mitchell approached neo-noir tropes through a surreal lens thatwould make David Lynch proud.
Andrew Garfieldstars inUnder the Silver Lake, a film that takes viewers on a nonstop descent into the underbelly of Los Angeles, where Hollywood’s darkest secrets lurk. Rather than take a straightforward route, Mitchell deliberately defies convention. The 139-minute dark comedy unfolds like a fever dream, immersing viewers in a seemingly endless nightmare. In a city where everyone believes they’ll become a star, Mitchell presents Los Angeles as a mythological trap concealing something far more sinister.
If the film sounds intriguing,Under the Silver Lakeis streaming for free on Tubi.Fans of David Lynch, “elevated horror,” and A24’s film catalog will surely have a blast with Mitchell’s conspiracy-theory thriller. The film stars Garfield alongside a star-studded cast that includes Jimmi Simpson, Sydney Sweeney, Topher Grace, Riley Keough, Zosia Mamet, Callie Hernandez, Rex Linn, Patrick Fischler, and Don McManus. The standout cinematography by Michael Gioulakis (Us,Old,It Follows) and an eerie score by Disasterpeace, who also composedIt Follows, amplify the film’s surreal tone.
If you like other Los Angeles-based films likeMulholland Drive,Nightcrawler,Drive, andThe Big Lebowski,Under the Silver Lakeis right up your alley.
What Is ‘Under the Silver Lake’ About?
Under the Silver Lakefollows Sam, a disillusioned young man who spends his days spying on topless neighbors from his Silver Lake condo. After meeting his new neighbor, Sarah, Sam becomes entranced by her. The problem is that Sarah vanishes, sending Sam downa conspiracy theory spiralthat gets weirder and more dangerous by the second.
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Sam finds some answers when investigating L.A.’s elites and decoding hidden messages in popular culture. When he finally comes upon Sarah’s whereabouts, he realizes that Los Angeles harbors something truly bizarre underground. A twisted system designed by the wealthy to “live forever” in the adoration of their followers. Per the Rotten Tomatoes synopsis of the film:
Sam is a disenchanted 33-year-old who discovers a mysterious woman, Sarah, frolicking in his apartment’s swimming pool. When she vanishes, Sam embarks on a surreal quest across Los Angeles to decode the secret behind her disappearance, leading him into the murkiest depths of mystery, scandal, and conspiracy in the City of Angels.
‘Under the Silver Lake’ Is a Terrific and Divisive Lynchian Mystery
The A24 film is a love letter to Los Angeles, but not the glamorous Hollywood version. Mitchell instead explores the city’s decaying underbelly, where the dream of stardom often comes at the cost of one’s soul. The only limelights are rusty streetlamps that have convinced every visitor that everyone has a chance at stardom.Under the Silver Lakeimagines an L.A. where that dream might still be alive, but at a disturbing cost.
But the film’s hypnotic atmosphere isn’t just for show. This L.A. isn’t just a backdrop for a conventional story about a young man investigating a mystery. Sam goes deep, very deep, and at the core of this twisted and surreal version of the City of Angels, colorful characters reside. They feel dangerous as well as hypnotizing — the Angelinos who hold the truth behind Sam’s obsession. These well-designed characters are the essence ofUnder the Silver Lake.
Although it’s a pure surreal neo-noir, Mitchell does steer the wheel into horror territory. The final act feels like a sudden tonal pivot that unveils a much darker undertone. We won’t spoil anything else because this one’s better if you go into it blind. Just know that, likeall David Lynch films, it does step into horror when necessary. And when it does, it will convince you that Hollywood isn’t all glamour, parties, and dreams come true. There’s something dark brewing under Silver Lake.Under the Silver Lakeis currently streaming for free onTubi,Pluto TV, andPlex.
Under the Silver Lake
