LAUREL CANYON is a film written and directed by Lisa Cholodenko in 2002.
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Sam and Alex, both graduated from the most respectable universities of the East coast. They arrive in L.A. to stay a few weeks at Jane's house. Jane, Sam's mother, is a forty something music producer who's living now with the singer of the band she's producing at the moment. Sam is afraid that his mother's disjointed way of life may trouble Alex so, as soon as he's arrived, he tries to find a new house to move. But, on the contrary, Alex starts to greatly appreciate Jane and the libertine atmosphere that surrounds her. Soon, she's sexually attracted to both Jane and her boy-friend. Meanwhile, Sam is hesitating to start a love affair with Sara, one of his colleagues at the hospital.
The review of this Movie prepared by Daniel Staebler
Sam (Bale) and Alex (Beckinsale) have completed medical school in Massachusetts and plan to get married fairly soon. They relocate to Los Angeles for Sam to do his residency in psychiatry and Alex to complete her dissertation on genetics. They thought they would have the sole use of his mother Jane's roomy house in Laurel Canyon while she was away, but Jane and her wild friends are still on the premises (she's a successful record producer sleeping with the young lead singer of the band whose latest record she's doing). Sam, uptight in general and especially anxious about his mom, tries to escape into work but gets distracted by a gorgeous second-year resident, an Israeli exchange student named Sara (McElhone), while at home Alex becomes more and more intrigued by Jane's alternative lifestyle. Relative newcomer Lisa Cholodenko wrote and directed this romantic 2002 film, which is relaxed, pleasant, and reasonably well done in most respects. Bale and Beckinsale do well with rather thankless roles; McDormand is terrific as ever.
The review of this Movie prepared by David Loftus
