It's hard to see any effort in the film. There's no comedy to speak of, no real drama and, worst of all.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

Sorry I had to. Btw I gave 5 stars to the movie because it wasn't what I expected. Personally I'm not into open relationships or threesome. Also it's really surreal that a mother kiss his son's girlfriend.

Well, a lot of you consider her as a non looker. However, for me, she is like a plug : i really feel electrified by her charisma and for that, she is as good as a lot of those sexy babes that i put on my list! Usually, this tension is on when there is a halo effect but here i can't remember a look alike girl that i would know. Sure, she is a bit like Madonna (#50) and Janine Lindemulder (#26) and maybe a Swedish girl i know but i'm sure that there's something more i can't explain yet.. What's sure is that when « Mississipi » aired again in July 2014, she literally illuminated my evening and thus i started to follow her movies. I would never expected to review one of her movies here but this one is really worthy of it ! This « Laurel canyon » is totally terrific and exciting as for one time, Frances gets very loose : i understand that she wanted to try nudity and pushes her usual envelope and honestly she wins! flashing her tits, unzipping her man, swimming nude and having a sort of threesome with a girl… The fact that her partner is Beckinsale just adds some more spice and truly things really get hot in that canyon!

Writer/director Lisa Cholodenko follows up her much-acclaimed 1997 debut High Art with this examination of a young couple seduced into a hedonistic, left-coast lifestyle. Taking its title from its central locale, Laurel Canyon focuses on a pair of upper-middle class lovebirds from the East Coast who relocate to Los Angeles.The film stars Frances McDormand, Christian Bale, Kate Beckinsale, Natascha McElhone, and Alessandro Nivola.Freshly graduating from Harvard,Sam and Alex are eager to continue their medical studies out West, but they need some lodging while they hunt for a home. Enter Jane, Sam's estranged mom, who's more than willing to put the couple up in her lavish digs. Jane is a successful record producer whose latest charge -- both in the studio and in her bedroom -- is Ian , a brazen, libidinous twenty-something Brit-rocker. As Sam and Alex settle in at Jane's, they gradually lose their straight-and-narrow approach to life and begin to experiment. Alex takes to Ian and Jane, while Sam is wooed by co-worker Sara.This film is a character-study about self-realization.The performances of the actors and actresses involved were worthy of commendation.Frances McDormand is terrific in her new role as record producer,mother,and corrupter of curious girls.While the rest like Bale,Beckinsale and Nivola were outstanding as well.But inspite of its unconventional storyline,the movie will leave people hanging and with a feeling unsatisfied as the movie turns into entertainment instead of providing better explanations about the characters in it except for the fact that they are seduced by the culture of Los Angeles - wherein Laurel Canyon is located and nothing more.

There's a clash of cultures, families and sexual orientations in "Laurel Canyon", and I enjoyed all of it. Sam (Christian Bale) and Alex (Kate Beckinsale) are an uptight, New York couple in complete control of their lives, until they move in with Sam's mother Jane (Frances McDormand) who is a loose hippie (in all senses of the words). Jane also has a slew of rock-and-roll men living in her house, most notably, Ian (Alessandro Nivola), her primary boyfriend with an irresistible accent - but then again Jane and Ian don't really label anything, especially relationships.As Sam grows increasingly frustrated by his mother's lifestyle, Alex grows increasingly intrigued by it. Sam's need to control everything can get annoying, but Bale plays well off of Beckinsale's quiet energy. The sexual tension between Beckinsale, Nivola and McDormand is electric and is able to keep driving the film forward.The dialogue is funny enough and the actors are all very good that they make up for the slightly predictable plot. At the Independent Spirit Awards, Frances McDormand was nominated for Best Supporting Actress and Alessandro Nivola for Best Supporting Actor. Well deserved nominations and quite possibly the best performances of their careers. Be prepared for sexual energy in every direction, but I recommend "Laurel Canyon".