Man, does Robert Pattinson have nine lives or what?! You’re watching Beyond The Trailer’s
review of Maps to the Stars...
Remember Me? No reaction! Water for Elephants? Totally ignored. Bel Ami? What Ami? Cosmopolis?
No one cared. The Rover? Nada. Yes, this is Robert Pattinson’s SIXTH attempt at breaking
free from his Twilight-rep, with no evidence yet that such a transition is even possible
much less likely. Thankfully it turns out tween girls aren’t the only ones who adore
Pattinson, but also David Cronenberg who is working with him for the second time here
after Cosmopolis. What’s different though is that Pattinson isn’t being asked to carry
this film all on his own or even partially on his own - he gets to be part of an ensemble.
In fact if anyone’s carrying this film it’s Julianne Moore who plays a sort of modern
Norma Desmond, and she’s already won the Best Actress prize at Cannes for the role.
Then there’s Mia Wasikowska, who’s done a pretty good job making everyone forget her
big break was Alice in Wonderland with Jane Eyre, Albert Nobbs and Stoker. John Cusack,
Olivia Williams and another Cronenberg favorite, Sarah Gadon, also star. Carrie Fisher even
appears - as herself! And the whole thing comes from the mind of writer-extraordinaire
Bruce Wagner, who’s known for his disdainful view of Hollywood. But maybe
he’s right. With more and more stories like the Bryan Singer scandal, Amanda Bynes’
meltdown and even Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke admitting their smash hit Blurred Lines
is a rip-off of Marvin Gaye, maybe Hollywood is as out of control as we’ve been warned.
So is Maps to the Stars another entry in the storied genre that includes Sunset
Boulevard, Barton Fink, Mulholland Drive and even The Player and Swimming with Sharks?
Or is this just another Robert Pattinson misfire...