Another film that couldn't be made today...

I remember watching this way back in the 1990s but didn't really remember much of it. But after re-watching it recently, it's quite the modest gem.

I found it hilarious how they treated Andrew McCarthy's character in the film -- there's no mainstream film today that could get away with that. Man, I miss the old days where men could be men.

And man, Jennifer Connelly was really something in this... She looked like a perfect 10/10.

I do agree with many of the reviews that she wasn't in the film enough. Just a little bit more -- I guess they learned with L.A. Confidential with Kim Basinger to give the "woman in the red dress" (though technically in L.A. Confidential it was white) just enough screen time to sizzle and reel audiences in, but not enough to disturb her mystique. Mulholland Falls kind of feel just short of that by leaving a lot of mystique but not giving us enough. Chinatown was kind of the perfect blend with Faye Dunaway's character.

I think what I really liked about this film, though, was how authentic it looked. Almost no computer special effects, and lots of real set designs with a TON of extras walking around to make the city feel lived in. Production team did such a wonderful job here -- that alone makes the film stand out.

I think where it falls short is that there was a little bit of circular storytelling going on regarding the "whodunit" aspect, when they should have had a few more needlessly violent scenes of the Hat Squad roughing guys up to get answers, and the shootout at the beach house should have had more squibbing and Penn and Madsen's characters firing back a bit more enthusiastically. It would have added a little more spice to the film.

I think it looked great, and the actor choices were pretty much perfect in my opinion (though someone a little more grizzled for Treat Williams' role, like R. Lee Ermey or Adam Baldwin would have been better realized. In fact, I think Adam Baldwin would have been perfect for that role).

All in all, it was a cool film. Shame we don't get more like them these days.