Somehow Cronenberg manages to go crazier and crazier. He started off doing Body Horror, now he does ... something else.
I'm not even sure how I would categorize it. Sure it's a drama, but not the kind of drama you'd expect. It's also not a typical horror movie, but it sure got horrific elements in it. It's not a comedy, but it got a gross-out horror feel to it.
Agatha, a young girl with burn-scars comes to Hollywood for sight-seeing, and to meet up with Carrie Fisher, who wants to write a movie about her. She soon meets Havana, an actress with her own demons.
On the other side of the story we follow Benjie, a famous child actor who just came back from his first rehab.
It's a hate-letter to Hollywood. It's about the behind the scenes of the city of stars. All people in this movie are despicable. Not just unlikeable, I would not want to be named in the same sentence as most of these characters.
Even the wallflower Agatha, played by Mia Wasikowska, who comes from outside and looks innocent, is not at all likeable. I think the most "likeable" character is Robert Pattinson's Chauffeur, but even he isn't a good guy.
It all looks really dirty, after watching this movie I wanted to take a long shower, maybe wash out my eyes, and look at puppies.
That all being said, this was exactly what Cronenberg meant to accomplish. He wanted to show that it isn't all playing nice and being happy. Hollywood backstage, unfiltered. Sex, Drugs and Fame, that's what Hollywood is all about.
So even though I hated everyone in this movie, even though I felt dirty after watching it, I liked it for what it was. The acting was top notch, the story was intriguing and so crazy that you just had to follow along. I also enjoyed the name-dropping, made everything feel real.
I'm rating Maps to the Stars 3.5 out of 5 stars and a like. It's crazy, but give it a chance.
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