RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
RT's Blu-ray HQ
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / Laurel Canyon
Laurel Canyon

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Get this Movie
  • Buy Poster External Icon
  • Visit Official Site External Icon
Bookmark and Share

Laurel Canyon (2003)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
67 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:107

Fresh:72

Rotten:35

Average Rating:6.4/10

Consensus: Though the movie itself is flawed, McDormand is fantastic as Jane.

Rated: R [See Full Rating] for sexuality, language and drug use

Runtime: 1 hr 41 mins

Genre: Dramas

Theatrical Release:Mar 7, 2003 Limited

Box Office: $3,596,939

Synopsis: Laurel Canyon is a street that runs through the heart of the Hollywood Hills, joining the middle-class, stolid environs of the San Fernando Valley to the heart of the city of Los Angeles. The... Laurel Canyon is a street that runs through the heart of the Hollywood Hills, joining the middle-class, stolid environs of the San Fernando Valley to the heart of the city of Los Angeles. The canyon is notable for its varied residents through the years and has served, and continues to, as the home to many rock stars, musicians, performers, producers, and the like. Among its current residents are Jane (Frances McDormand), a legendary record producer, currently producing an album for a British band whose lead singer Ian (Allesandro Nivola) is her much younger lover. Jane and the band are creating the album in her Laurel Canyon house where she has a recording studio. Jane’s son Sam (Christian Bale) and his fiancée Alex (Kate Beckinsale) are both recent graduates of Harvard medical school. Conservative, solid and serious, the couple find it necessary to move to Los Angeles to complete their studies: Sam is completing his Residency at the renowned Hausman Neuropsychiatric Institute, while Alex is intent on completing her dissertation on Drosophilia Genomics. Jane has offered her Laurel Canyon home for them to stay in, promising that it will be vacant. But when Sam and Alex arrive Jane and the Band are still working in Jane’s home recording studio to complete the album. Sam and Alex begrudgingly stay at Jane’s house until they can find an alternative place to live. Once in the house, however, things begin to slowly unravel. Alex’s attraction to Jane’s and Ian’s freewheeling lifestyle and Sam’s hesitancy about renewing a relationship with his wayward mother as well as his growing attraction to fellow medical resident Sara (Natascha McElhone) slowly fill the house with tension and doubt... -- © 2002 Sony Pictures Classics [More]

Starring: Frances McDormand, Christian Bale, Kate Beckinsale, Natascha McElhone

Starring: Frances McDormand, Christian Bale, Kate Beckinsale, Natascha McElhone, Alessandro Nivola, Melissa De Sousa

Director: Lisa Cholodenko

Director: Lisa Cholodenko
Screenwriter: Lisa Cholodenko
Producer: Susan A. Stover, Jeff Levy-Hinte
Composer: Craig Wedren
Studio: Sony Pictures Classics

[See More Credits]

  • Trailers
  • Pictures
1 - 5 of 16

See More Movie Trailers & Pictures

Get This Movie

Rent DVD
 
 

Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue.

 
 
Buy DVD
 
 
Release:

Jul 15, 2003

No Details Exist
 
 

Reviews for Laurel Canyon

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date)
Bubble View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 
Reviews
Tomatometer Critic Review Category
N/R

Urban Cinefile Critics

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Oct., 18 2008 03:39 AM

Urban Cinefile

tomato
5/5

Rob Gonsalves

It pulled me in with its friendly, inclusive, nonjudgmental appraisal of human nature.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Sep., 24 2007 05:02 PM

eFilmCritic.com

tomato
3/5

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Dec., 30 2006 04:12 AM

Empire Magazine

N/R

Geoff Andrew

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Feb., 09 2006 03:16 AM

Time Out

splat
2.5/5

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Dec., 06 2005 07:40 PM

Film Threat

splat
2.5/5

Mark Sells

Despite a great ensemble of actors, it will leave you hanging from a cliff.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Aug., 13 2004 08:40 AM

Oregon Herald

splat

Matt Kelemen

'We're left with a film that doesn't create enough interest in what went on in those Laurel Canyon backyards to justify pulling over and watching.'

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Mar., 03 2004 03:51 PM

Las Vegas CityLife

N/R

Lori Allen

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Feb., 25 2004 04:35 AM

Zap2it.com

N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jan., 15 2004 05:08 PM

Guardian [UK]

tomato
3/5

Matthew Turner

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Nov., 26 2003 05:07 PM

ViewLondon

splat
2/5

Annette Dasey

No matter how many times she pushes her specs up her nose Beckinsale is never going to be believable as a nerd. Bale as a psychiatrist: it’s easier to envisage him as Batman.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Nov., 14 2003 08:53 AM

Teletext

tomato
3/5

Jamie Russell

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Nov., 11 2003 05:08 PM

BBC

splat
2.5/4

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Oct., 27 2003 05:08 PM

Sunday Times (Australia)

tomato
3/5

Marcy Dermansky

Frances McDormand lets loose in a terrific new role as record producer, mother, and corrupter of curious girls.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Oct., 24 2003 06:59 AM

About.com

tomato

Frank Wilkins

'Laurel Canyon' is a little dangerous, a bit unconventional and very seductive.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Oct., 04 2003 05:41 AM

ReelTalk Movie Reviews

N/R

Rich Cline

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Sep., 07 2003 08:06 AM

Shadows on the Wall

tomato
2.5/4

David Nusair

...essentially worth checking out if only for the performances and Cholodenko's admittedly steady directorial hand.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jul., 20 2003 08:56 PM

Reel Film Reviews

N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jul., 16 2003 05:14 PM

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

tomato
3.5/4

David N. Butterworth

Real people, real situations. Laurel Canyon is a keeper.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jul., 03 2003 08:42 PM

Movie Boeuf

N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jul., 02 2003 05:10 PM

Boston Phoenix

 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date)
Bubble View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 >> >|
all

Latest News for Laurel Canyon

October 19, 2006: Critical Consensus: "Flags" Flies High; "The Prestige" Is Magic; "Flicka" Is A Pretty Good Ride; "Marie Antoinette" Spared Critical Guillotine
This week at the movies, we've got a complex tale of heroism (Clint Eastwood's "Flags of Our Fathers," starring Ryan Phillippe), a story of dueling magicians... More...

See All

More DVDs

Close
Top Rentals
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
14% 14% The Ugly Truth
98% 98% Up
36% 36% G.I. Joe: The Rise of …
52% 52% The Taking of Pelham 1…
45% 45% Ice Age: Dawn of the D…

More Rentals…

New On DVD This Week
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
32% 32% Terminator Salvation
44% 44% Night at the Museum: B…
86% 86% A Christmas Tale
60% 60% Paper Heart

More New Releases…

RT On Current TV

DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196

What’s Hot On RT

Nine Pictures

Nine Pictures

Hottest poster ever? 14 pictures from Nine

Disney Countdown

Disney Countdown

Look back on Disney's best animated movies!

RT's Gift Guide

RT's Gift Guide

Give the best movies, gear, and more!

Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman

See what her 10 best reviewed films are!

Other News

Close
  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • No Hobbit Until 2012? Source: The Wrap
15
  • Don't Hold Your Breath for Hancock 2 Source: HitFix
32
  • Peter Berg Talks Battleship Source: CHUD
2
  • Summit Ponders Twilight Finale Source: Variety
144
  • First Look at Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Source: USA Today
56
  • Jeremy Renner Talks Hawkeye Possibilities Source: Superhero Hype
14
  • Todd Phillips Talks The Hangover 2 Source: Entertainment Weekly
18
  • Tron Legacy Duo Heading into The Black Hole Source: Hollywood Reporter
9
  • First Iron Man 2 Poster Released Source: Yahoo! Movies
80
  • Ryan Reynolds Talks Green Lantern Source: MTV
16
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Ban Them All! 10 Infamously Controversial Movies
99
  • Friday Harvest: The Road, Avatar, and more!
96
  • 5 Facts About The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
91
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: Vampires and Football Break Thanksgiving Records
38
  • Total Recall: Natalie Portman's Best Movies
36
  • Weekly Ketchup: Zombieland 2 in 3D?
28
  • Five Favorite Films with Jesse Ventura
28
  • RT on DVD & Blu-Ray: Terminator Salvation and a Smithsonian Battle
20
  • Duncan Jones Reteams With Kevin Spacey
5
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
17
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
11
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
21
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
8
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
15
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
22
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
9
  • Wolverine Creator Len Wein Talks About the Film
28
  • Gavin Hood Talks Wolverine; Possible Sequel
28
  • Duncan Jones talks Moon, Sam Rockwell, and Mute
14
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • Laurel Canyon at Rotten Tomatoes
  • Laurel Canyon at IGN
  • Laurel Canyon at AskMen

Fresh Links

Featured
Wes Anderson on Fox
Wes Anderson on Fox External Link

The director talks about puppetry perfection and his film, Fantastic Mr. Fox

Animated Oscar?
Animated Oscar? External Link

Hollywood.com ponders whether or not an animated film could win Best Picture.

TIME's Holiday Movie Preview
TIME's Holiday Movie Preview External Link

Richard Corliss previews the season's best offerings and hottest tickets.

Scenic Routes
Scenic Routes External Link

The AV Club's Mike D'Angelo airs his beefs with Alfonso Cuaron's Children of Men.

Promos
Follow RT on Twitter
Follow RT on Twitter External Link

Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Games| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.