Locating Silver Lake

I don't know if this is a depiction of Hollywood. It just touches the surface. LA as a whole is the dumping ground of the wannabes. I lived near Universal Studios in the Apartments on the hill but wasn't an actress wannabe like a lot of those that lived there. I had friends in Silver Lake a nice but gay community. I lived near my work, so the best place in LA to me was still Pasadena. I'll pass on the rest. LA used to be good in the 80' and 90's. Now it's a mess thanks to bad management by Democrats who know how to tear down a city and care more about illegals than it's own citizens. This movies starts out good but it could have gone deeper. The writer barely scratches the surface and makes Seth a gay man who is totally into control into the prime character. He should have showed us his satanist side. You could tell from that scary black woman in his group. All the people are under his spell, which is sad. They are lost souls pulling together in a lost loveless city. Glad the main character left town at the end.

This is a neat little story about "the post college abyss" and a boy finding himself after college and becoming a man. Along the way he meets a diverse and interesting bunch of characters. I liked the movie a lot. The only thing that truly bothered me was the end. Her sister is in the pool either dead or dying and could possibly still be saved but instead of calling medics or police she literally runs off to try to find her boyfriend of a couple of weeks instead. It made me lol.

And that problem is the plot line! So many holes throughout this otherwise compelling story. Josh Peck as 'Daniel" gives a solid performance as a young man who seems to be torn by rejection and acceptance by others. We are left in the cold as to what he is in search of. That odd cult led by 'Seth' seems more comical than serious. Why others would seek his approval remains a mystery. Then there's 'Jose' who seems a bit threatening in appearance and with his friends but he has a parental view over Daniel. This film left me confused.

In the opening scene of "Locating Silver Lake," the protagonist Daniel Willingham is rejected by his girlfriend Samantha Dolnes during the college graduation ceremony. By the end of the film, it becomes apparent to the audience that Sam made a smart move by dumping Dan. While the film has some good footage of the great sites of L.A., there was a major problem with the lack of credibility of the characters. Daniel wins a lucky bet at the roulette table, but it was not clear how that stash of cash would make him independently wealthy. It was also unclear how no one in the film apparently had to work for a living. The strangest group of characters were the individuals who fell under the spell of a cult-like guru named Seth, who had resonances of Charles Manson. There is the nearly silent character named Lilith. There is Daniel's old high school classmate Ella and her girlfriend Bonnie. Daniel falls in love with Ella's sister Talya, who goes by the user name of Mamihlapinatapai. Talya too has been brainwashed by Seth. Daniel also has a one-night stand with his neighbor Luisa, a woman separated from her husband and raising two young children. After their tryst, Luisa has the realization that she no longer needs men in her lives, breaks off the relationship with Daniel, and moves out the area. The most interesting group of characters was a number of men who have suffered traumatic losses and have weekly bonfires and drinking sessions. Daniel bonds with the men, opening up especially to his landlord Jose about his own troubled past. Daniel's father was emotionally wounded when his wife took a lover. The father left home, leaving the mother depressed. After she died in an auto wreck that was due to her driving, Daniel was left an orphan and a negative perception of love. The film tries to turn Daniel into a 21st-century Jack Kerouac with his bible Kerouac's book "Maggie Cassidy." It was never clear exactly what was the purpose of the cult of "found ones" led by Seth, whose ramblings about "chaos" were as boring as they were self-indulgent. Were they a symbol of the hedonism associated with L.A.? Daniel appears to have a kind of epiphany in his rejection of Seth and the cult, finding meaning in writing about the true story of Herman Silver, for whom the L.A. reservoir is named. But it is not clear if he has any new direction in life other than getting as far away as humanly possible from Silver Lake.

Great story, fantastic acting, ... Mr. Bilitch, I really thought you couldn't outdo yourself after The Submarine Kid but I was wrong. You really outdid yourself with this one. Loved every single minute of this movie.

Just rewatched LSL after watching it at Edinburgh Filmfest 2018. This movie is so beautifully loaded with truths, simplicity and complexity of life, turn abouts you've never expected, chaos and stability. Just loved it!

I really love this one! I had the chance to see it at the Edinburgh Film Festival. Nothing is what it seems to be at first sight. Awesome storytelling and great cast! Thanks, Eric for this special movie!

Trailer—Locating Silver Lake