Under the Silver Lake (2018)
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A man investigating a neighbor's disappearance in Los Angeles uncovers a labyrinth of conspiracy theories and hidden codes.
The story
In the summer of 2011, Sam is an aimless 33-year-old in Silver Lake, Los Angeles, more interested in conspiracy theories than paying his overdue rent. While spying on a topless neighbor, he notices another neighbor, Sarah, and learns that a billionaire named Jefferson Sevence has disappeared. After Sarah's apartment is found abandoned and marked with a mysterious symbol, Sam begins a journey through the city's underground. He follows a trail of clues involving a mysterious 'Comic Fan' and a variety of cryptic symbols, leading him deeper into a web of secrets that connect the local neighborhood to a larger, more dangerous conspiracy.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In the summer of 2011, Sam, an aimless man in Silver Lake, Los Angeles, becomes obsessed with the disappearance of his neighbor, Sarah. After finding her apartment abandoned and marked with a 'stay quiet' symbol, Sam follows a trail of clues involving a 'Comic Fan' who claims hidden messages are everywhere. His investigation leads him to a series of events: a rooftop party, a concert at Hollywood Forever Cemetery where he is drugged by a 'magic' cookie, and a meeting with a mysterious 'Songwriter' who has encoded history's music with hidden messages. Sam eventually discovers that Sarah and her roommates were actually the wives of billionaire Jefferson Sevence, who faked their deaths to live in an underground sanctuary. After a series of dangerous encounters, including a confrontation with the 'Owl's Kiss' and a journey through a network of tunnels, Sam eventually finds the truth. He discovers the women are at peace in their hidden location. The film ends with Sam returning to his apartment, where he is evicted, and he watches his neighbor from his balcony while his own apartment is marked with the 'stay quiet' symbol.
- First release year
- 2018
- Runtime (minutes)
- 139
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- David Robert Mitchell
- Writers
- David Robert Mitchell · writer
- Cast and characters
- Andrew Garfield · Sam; Riley Keough · Sarah; Topher Grace
- Genres
- black comedy; thriller
- Themes
- conspiracy theories
- Tone and mood
- black comedy; neo-noir
- Premise and plot tags
- mystery; thriller; conspiracy
- Reception
- The film received polarized reviews from critics, and it has amassed a cult following in the years since its release.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 58% · review count: 159; Rotten Tomatoes · score: 6/10; Metacritic · score: 60 · scale: 100 · review count: 31
- Production trivia
- The film's cryptography consultant was computer scientist Kevin Knight.; The film has a cult following involving hidden meta-clues and codes.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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