Surveillance is the second film by director Jennifer Lynch. If the last name sounds familiar and you happen to be asking yourself as to whether or not she has any relation to director David Lynch, then the answer is yes. Jennifer Lynch is his daughter, and like her father, she too knows how to make us moviegoers as confused as a bum in a mansion. However, something about Surveillance worked well enough for me to enjoy and comprehend the film’s plot, full of suspense and mystery. Having said that, keep in mind that I enjoy the films of David Lynch, and his daughter mimes these here in almost every shape and form.

Bill Pullman and Julia Ormond are cast as two FBI agents investigating three separate individuals involved in an incident of a most disturbing murder. Their acting worked for me, and at times throughout the film caught me off guard. The story unfolds much like that of Akira Kurosawa’s Rashomon, in which the story keeps us guessing at the different perspectives of the plot. This isn’t to say it’s as engaging or fluid as Rashomon, as Jennifer acts her father’s role simply to frustrate and confuse us now and then, but overall I found a decent level of comprehension.

What worked best for me in Surveillance were the visuals. The contrast between the open highway scenes, in which much of the story explained occurs, and that of the police station where the present tense of the narrative takes place is done well. The highway represents a hot and arid backdrop where everyone’s blood is at a boil and tensions are high. The police station, while not exactly calm, is cold and much like that of an air-conditioned office building. The quiet, more serene moments of the police station are spiked with those of the highway. Cinematography here was interesting as well. Framing is done in such a manner as to help move the story-unlike many films today, which seem to use it as a means for achieving a similar clichéd mood.

Overall, Surveillance was enjoyable. However, if you’re not one to find David Lynch’s more bizarre tales such as Mulholland Drive or Inland Empire, you may want to read the back of the box and assure that you want to invest your hour and a half’s time this evening. – [DVD]

Comedy/Drama/Romance

Rated PG-13

DVD Release Date: 8/18/09

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