Just out of Harvard medical school, Sam (Christian Bale) and his fiancée Alex (Kate Beckinsale) seem destined for a life of privilege. Intending to find an apartment of their own in Los Angeles--where Sam will do his residency and Alex will complete her dissertation--they decide to stay temporarily with Jane (Francis McDormand), Sam's free-spirited, record producer mother who never provided straight-arrow Sam with the stability he so obviously craves. Jane has just left her longtime lover for Ian (Alessandro Nivolo), the young British musician whose band she is producing. At the expense of her studies, Alex gradually becomes entranced by Jane's carefree, pot-smoking ways--as well as by Ian--at the same time that Sam encounters temptation at the hospital in the form of Sara (Natasha McElhone), a beautiful young resident.

Lisa Cholodenko's (HIGH ART) film uses an unconventional mother-son relationship to examine how parents' decisions affect our lifestyle choices as adults. Playing the flipside of her role in ALMOST FAMOUS, McDormand imbues Jane with the appropriate libertine's spirit, an attitude that she finally turns her back on when it finally gets in the way of her son's future. An effective score by Craig Wedren and memorable songs by Sparklehorse lend authenticity to the film's music biz backdrop.

Theatrical Release: MARCH 7, 2003 (NY/LA)

DVD Features:

Region 1
Keep Case
Full Frame - 1.33
Widescreen - 1.85
Audio:
Dolby Digital 5.1 - English
DTS - English
Additional Release Material:
Featurette
Trailers
Audio Commentary: Lisa Cholodenko - Director
Text/Photo Galleries:
Cast and Crew Bios
DVD-ROM Features:
Weblink

Frances McDormand: American Actress
Christian Bale: Welsh actor, BATMAN BEGINS
Kate Beckinsale: British Actress
Natascha McElhone: Actress, SOLARIS
Alessandro Nivola: 
Melissa De Sousa: Actor, LOCKDOWN (2003)

Lisa Cholodenko: Writer/Director

Susan A. Stover: Producer
Jeff Levy-Hinte: Producer

Lisa Cholodenko: Writer/Director

Craig Wedren: Composer, WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER (2001)

"...It confirms the filmmaker's talent as an acutely observant chronicler of upscale bohemian subcultures....LAUREL CANYON is superbly acted..."
"...[A] compelling tale of a free-spirited record producer, played with perfect pitch by Frances McDormand..."
"..The film succeeds as a sharp comedy of manners....All the actors do an excellent job -- particularly McDormand..."
"...McDormand is ascendant..."
"...The helmer again displays her skill with actresses by eliciting a cracking turn from Frances McDormand..."
"LAUREL CANYON is an understated, shrews film....Grand."
"McDormand is ravishing in every way..."
"...[McDormand] makes Jane ripe, real, and irresistible..."
"...There are stand-out performances, particularly from McDormand. And Indie-rock aficionados will drool as they watch the real-life Folk Implosion play the music of Sparklehorse..."
"...The best part of LAUREL CANYON is McDormand's sexy, tough performance, which creates a terrific gravitational pull..."