We’re always devastated when our idols fall from the pillars we set them upon by revealing their true identities. Whether it be a steroid investigation for a favorite ballplayer, a sex scandal for a mentor otherwise thought chaste, or financial ruin on the heels of a terrible set of decisions, we never expect to see our heroes knocked down to the level of the common man, perhaps even below that. When actor George Reeves, made famous as the Man of Steel in television’s The Adventures of Superman, died in 1959, it shook a fan base who thought him invincible. First-time director Allen Coulter’s Hollywoodland examines the last eight years of Reeves’ life and what lead to his mysterious death. And while the film doesn’t offer any answers as to what really happened to Reeves - it was ruled a suicide - it provides a fascinating view on how people pursue fame and fortune, and how disappointing it can be when it’s not all you cracked it up to be.

The movie starts on the morning after Reeves’ (Ben Affleck) death, then splits into two arcs. The first examines Reeves’ rise to stardom, from his days stalking in the background of Hollywood parties, trying to get into pictures with famous people, to his affair with Toni Mannix (Diane Lane), the wife of a studio executive (Bob Hoskins), to his eventual casting as Superman and subsequent inability to escape the identity associated with the role, no matter his aspirations to be a serious actor. The second arc follows Louis Simo (Adrien Brody), a slimy private detective hired to figure out if the death was really a suicide.

Affleck plays the part brilliantly, as if the world hasn’t given him a fair shake because of the movies that have made his career (hint, hint). He’s slick and heroic, but shows the range to become the desperate actor Reeves was after being Superman both made and ruined his career. Lane is sultry and sympathetic, allowing the audience to fall for her just as Reeves did.

The strongest acting comes from Brody, whose Simo has more than just the Reeves investigation on his plate. Reeves’ stardom brought him the wrong identity, but Simo’s constant angling to get noticed by most everyone in Hollywood has compromised his sense of self, and it has ruined his marriage, his ability as a father, and his business. Brody captures the feel of the fast-talking investigator but adds the necessary weight when Simo gets too wrapped up in the case.

As director, Coulter fully realizes the neo-noir feel that makes the movie such a joy to watch. Watching the film doesn’t just make you see the 1950’s for two and a half hours, it puts you right in the middle of it. With no answers to the Reeves mystery, Coulter struggles to end the film, and the denouement he chose could have been better, but the majority of the experience is well-paced and almost perfectly crafted.

With no over-production and very little fat to trim from the plot, Hollywoodland is like nothing else in theaters right now, and that’s a compliment.

Rating: * * * * of 5

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