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10/18/08
Laurel Canyon (2003)
67
%
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:107
Fresh:72
Rotten:35
Average Rating:6.4/10
Consensus: Though the movie itself is flawed, McDormand is fantastic as Jane.
Runtime: 1 hr 41 mins
Genre: Dramas
US Box Office: $3,596,939
Synopsis: Laurel Canyon is a street that runs through the heart of the Hollywood Hills, joining the middle-class, stolid environs of the San Fernando Valley to the heart of the city of Los Angeles. The... [More]
Starring: Frances McDormand, Christian Bale, Kate Beckinsale, Natascha McElhone
Director: Lisa Cholodenko
Reviews for Laurel Canyon
Top CriticClick to read the article
12/30/06
Top CriticWhat rescues this situation from the formulaic banality it seems to be headed toward is the seriousness with which the filmmakers take the actual work being done by the various characters.
03/06/03
If there is one reason to see Laurel Canyon, it's to witness McDormand in the kind of role she's long deserved.
04/11/03
Top CriticBut what holds the film together is Frances McDormand’s riveting, unapologetic performance as Jane.
03/30/03
McDormand seems to know how to get the most out of the smoggy material, giving one of her most natural and appealing characterizations.
03/07/03
Laurel Canyon isn’t about philandering but it’s about something just as real: emotional drift. The film captures with razor precision the subatomic electric spark between two people who are feeling and fighting an attraction to one another.
03/10/03
Although the film occasionally feels a bit forced or manipulative, it never loses its overall sense of credibility. Frances Mcdormand is simply great as Jane, and as usual never disappoints
03/07/03
McDormand is superb. Likewise Bale and Nivola.
04/17/03
From the choice of L.A.’s musical bohemia to finding the right tension in each scene, director Lisa Cholodenko has hit another home run.
06/04/03
The hills are alive with the sound of rock and roll, and the people of Laurel Canyon are learning new songs to live by.
03/28/03
McDormand plays the exact opposite of her role in Almost Famous, and darned if she isn't just as terrific.
04/25/03
All the performances are strong, but McDormand, Bale and Nivola's are most powerful.
03/07/03
Top CriticLike Shampoo, the movie is a comical carousel of beautifully joined overlaps.
03/28/03
Real people, real situations. Laurel Canyon is a keeper.
07/03/03
...essentially worth checking out if only for the performances and Cholodenko's admittedly steady directorial hand.
07/20/03
It's worth a visit if you want to check out the latest emotional vibes emanating from the Hollywood Hills.
03/07/03
It's nice, but truthfully it never pulled me in.
04/28/03
Thanks to the performances and the general looseness of the script, the movie is more appealing than it has any business being.
04/11/03
Top CriticMcDormand's flawless performance is worth the price of admission.
04/25/03
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