Under the Silver Lake reviews: What do critics say about Andrew Garfield thriller?

Under the Silver Lake tells the story of Sam (Andrew Garfield) whose beautiful, mysterious neighbour disappears without a trace. Sam tries to find the parties responsible, unravelling a string of strange crimes, unsolved murders and bizarre coincidences in his East Los Angeles neighbourhood. The cerebral thriller also stars Riley Keough and had its world premiere at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.

What do critics say about Under the Silver Lake?

Despite Under the Silver Lake polarising critics, the movie holds a 61 rating on Metacritic, but only 54 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.

The critics’ consensus reads: “Under the Silver Lake hits its stride slightly more often than it stumbles, but it’s hard not to admire – or be drawn in by – writer-director David Robert Mitchell’s ambition.”

Though the film premiered at last year’s Cannes, Under the Silver Lake is finally made its way to cinemas on March 15, 2019.

Bilge Ebiri for Village Voice:

Mitchell has interesting ideas, and his actors seem to be having fun, but that’s not enough when the film itself lacks atmosphere, or tension, or emotional engagement.

THE AFTERMATH REVIEWS: WHAT DO CRITICS SAY ABOUT KEIRA KNIGHTLEY DRAMA

A.A. Dowd for AV Club:

Mitchell is taking a big swing with his third feature, trying something not just new but also more unconventional, ambitious, and even potentially off-putting.

Eric Kohn for indieWire:

It’s fascinating to watch Mitchell grasp for a bigger picture with the wild ambition of his scruffy protagonist.

Peter Bradshaw for the Guardian:

This film just wades into a murky lake of self-consciousness and sinks inexorably to the bottom.

Emily Yoshida for New York Magazine/Vulture:

Pretty soon the commentary on how Hollywood uses women as decoration outweighs the fact that Mitchell’s just repeating the cycle – albeit with better-than-average outfits.

WHAT THEY HAD REVIEWS: WHAT DO CRITICS SAY ABOUT THE DRAMA?

David Rooney for the Hollywood Reporter:

Despite a compelling lead in Andrew Garfield, the tension dissipates rather than mounts as this knotty neo-noir slides into a Lynchian swamp of outre weirdness.

Geoffrey Macnab for the Independent:

Under the Silver Lake has brilliant scenes but it also feels derivative and increasingly self-indulgent.

David Jenkins for Little White Lies:

Bravo to David Robert Mitchell for having the guts to make this mad mongrel of a movie.

Ben Travis for Empire Magazine:

Under The Silver Lake is gorgeous to look at and listen to, with moments of genuine panache, but its wilfully labyrinthine plot will have limited appeal.

SERENITY REVIEWS: WHAT DO CRITICS SAY ABOUT MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY MOVIE?

Rafael Motamayor for IGN Movies:

Under the Silver Lake never finds a reason for being as weird as it is, making for a confusing and frustrating experience despite its hypnotic visuals and a great score.

Sarah Foulkes for Slashfilm:

Under the Silver Lake is an entertaining mess of a film. It dances with so many styles, themes and subplots, but leaves the audience feeling dizzy. Nonetheless, there is a great film in there.

Alissa Wilkinson for Vox:

It’s no Mulholland Drive, but the point of Under the Silver Lake rhymes with themes from David Lynch’s masterpiece: that lifetimes of watching others have instructed us in how to be watched ourselves.

Ed Potton for the Times:

If you were being charitable you could paint the film as a satire on the primitive male psyche and its consequences for women. If that’s the case, though, it’s awfully well hidden.

Under the Silver Lake is now playing in cinemas.