Written and directed by David Lynch, co-written by Barry Gifford, a tormented jazz musician finds himself lost in an enigmatic story involving murder, surveillance, gangsters, doppelgängers, and an impossible transformation inside a prison cell. Starring: Patricia Arquette, Bill Pullman, Balthazar Getty, Robert Blake, Robert Loggia, Michael Massee, Natasha Gregson Wagner, Richard Pryor and Gary Busey.
When you think of the general expectation for a David Lynch film, something strange, enigmatic, puzzling, seductive, obscure or many, many other descriptors you could use, Lost Highway is a perfect example. It embodies all the different qualities that you find in his work, starting with that luxurious aesthetic. Working alongside cinematographer Peter Deming, Lynch always finds the depth and curiosity to his visuals, providing an atmosphere which is somehow simultaneously intimate yet distant.
Lynch manages to create a coldness and eeriness which quickly let you know that all is not right in the world of Lost Highway but at the same time, it’s inviting and alluring. He captures the essence of a femme fatale in his style, that double edged sword of dangerous yet irresistible. That’s exactly why it does not matter if you fully grasp the plot or not, he creates an experience and one that you’ll want to return to, so you can fill in the gaps later. The story is obscure enough to make you piece it together but not so obscure that you can’t see the bigger picture, if you truly want to.
Another part of its strong presence is the performances, Patricia Arquette, Bill Pullman and Balthazar Getty lead the way excellently. They each create characters with their own mysteries but they’re never too cryptic that you can’t connect with them. They give you plenty of reason to follow them down this twisty rabbit hole. There’s then a terrific ensemble cast behind them, especially Robert Loggia as a gangster who does not tolerate bad driving behaviour. It’s surprisingly satisfying to watch a mob boss who has manners and will violently punish those who do not, acting out a scenario that many fellow drivers will likely have had in their own heads.
Lost Highway is the epitome of the Lynch school of filmmaking, it’s elusive and curious, it’s sensuous yet distant and just the right amount of strange. The aesthetic never disappoints, it’s enchanting to watch unfold and is supported by some excellent choices in music and score. It’s a mystery that unravels in an unusual way, using those different perspectives to hand you pieces of the puzzle but not the solution. There’s a brilliant cast at work and they really boost the already strong intensity that Lynch builds.
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