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Playing Superman in 'Hollywoodland' The mystery of the first television superhero's death unveiled?	By Elena Gorgan, Entertainment News Editor 7th of September 2006, 07:18 GMT Adjust text size:

The latest biopic from Focus Features is definitely a can't-miss one, both on account of its stellar cast (Adrien Brody, Diane Lane, Bob Hoskins and Ben Affleck) and for the actors' brilliant performance. Many of us might be turned off when the name of Jennifer Lopez's ex-fianc� is uttered but chances are that we had a misconstrued opinion of him until now. Because nobody can play a faded star, doomed to stereotype roles for his entire acting career just as the first Superman was, like Ben Affleck. His part is outstanding by far and it's not only that the character he got to play was good, it's also because the actor could relate to the man whose life he got to relive in front of the cameras. 'Hollywoodland' is the story of one man's rise to fame and of the way his tragic death makes him a legend. One of 'Hollywood's greatest unsolved mysteries', the passing of George Reeves, who played the first Superman in the television series from the '50s, was and still is questioned by many. Labeled as suicide by the police, the movie goes a step further and digs deep into an improbable 'suicide'. Adrien Brody is the detective that Reeves' mother hires to solve her son's untimely surmise and the conclusions he draws from his private investigation are that, as depressed as George was by being a type-cast actor, he did not shoot himself. Featuring interspersed flash-backs and flash-forwards that make up many main plots and secondary ones, the investigation of Louis Simo loses ground in front of George's dramatic story, caught between his desire to conquer the world with his acting, his limited experience and his inescapable love affair with an older woman, the wife of an MGM big shot. Compared by many to 'L.A Confidential' and 'Chinatown', 'Hollywoodland' might disappoint you if you go to see it with this idea in mind. It lacks the cynicism and the sense of despair that prevailed in these two movies, but it's still something you would want to see. And, if the plot doesn't sound too interesting for you to be convinced, its screening and its realization (the 'neo-noir tale' of the 1950s ) might. Click here for the trailer for 'Hollywoodland' and see if it manages to get your undivided attention. It is scheduled for release on September 8th.

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