The Canyons

A love triangle forms between a trust fund stud, his squeeze (totally apathetic and not in love with him, but does enjoy the fruits of his family's fortune), and a wanna-be actor. Because of wealth and connections, the actor's life will fall into duress, and the squeeze (followed by her stud's stalking texter, keeping tabs on her activities) will be left with as little privacy as possible. It doesn't help her cause with all the lies she tells to her trust fund stud.

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Young adults living in extravagance, with their self destructive behavior, sexual mores, and use of such affluence in corrupt ways (in the male star, James Deen’s (his character, a trust fund baby, named Christian) case, his affluence invades any privacy his lover(and her actor lover’s life, eventually) would like to have because of his narcissistic, sociopathic, predatory personality), living “in the canyons”: this is the basics of the plot for Bret Easton Ellis’ new scathing comment on modern culture for twenty-somethings living in the age of iphones, Facebook, celebreality, “dress for success”, Project Runway, and Apple.

I wish I could say I was emotionally invested (in other words, “just gave a shit”) in the four characters (or those who perform them), but I simply wasn’t. Even the two characters (“still bartending” struggling actor, Ryan (Nolan Funk) and Christian’s lady, Tara (Lindsay Lohan)) we are supposed to sympathize with are self-absorbed (what can they get out a relationship), in need of wealth (or fame/success, in the case of Ryan) or the comforts of monetary security (Tara doesn’t love Christian and is simply with the guy because he’s rich), and seem unable to finish even one sentence (even a character in a Rob Zombie film can at least put together a few sentences without that f-bomb; okay, maybe this isn’t such a good example) without “fucking”.

Here it goes: Christian has money he is forwarding to a cheap slasher movie, Tara pushes Ryan for the lead, and Ryan’s girlfriend, Gina (Amanda Brooks, an assistant of Christian’s) is excited that her beau has finally landed a part. Ryan and Tara rekindle their sexual relationship (is it love or just a re-awakening of lust? I vote for the latter, even though Ryan seems to think it is love; Tara is so in favor of living comfortably in money, regardless of how much of a warped, controlling punk Christian is, that I question having a love for anyone, or allowing herself to find too much affection for others if their bank account doesn’t appeal to her avarice) when they lock eyes during the casting process for this movie. Gina is pleased that Tara went to bat for her guy, not knowing the two of them have been shagging behind her back. I think the casualty of all of this is Gina, but, kudos to her, she kicks Ryan to the curb. The rest is Christian trying to destroy Ryan and scare Tara into no longer associating herself with the older flame. It is all about ego and holding on to that power regardless of what measures need to be calculated and carried out (a former yoga instructor forewarns Tara to no avail and pays a heavy price for doing so). Bottom line: Christian may wind up no longer with Tara, but Ryan isn’t getting her if he can help it. He tells her he’ll kill Ryan if the two of them even come in contact! Tara believed (this confirmed in that fateful conversation with the yoga instructor, not taking her seriously) she could handle Christian--that she was the one in control, not Christian--and this couldn't be more wrong.

This film, after just a little research, seems to have been rejected by film festivals. I feel a little bad for Schrader because he doesn't direct a whole hell of a lot these days, and while watching The Canyons, that independent film maverick spirit seemed to be alive and well. Lots of energy behind the camera, compositions particularly set up to point out how absurd the emphasis on sex and money exists in our world, particularly in Hollywood. We see the sexual politics even at the low budget film level, with Christian's pathology run amok...he's a walking Big Brother and if you are a girl of his obsessions, life will be viewed closely and with intensity. He talks with a production guy about seducing Ryan in a prank just to see if his adversary would actually participate in such a sexual encounter. Ryan's desperation is evident in two instances, where men want sexual favors (well, the first employer, operating a bar/hotel, openly desires it, while the second is just doing a favor for Christian when his job is threatened) and he seems willing to offer up himself even though he's straight. Christian has money, uses it as leverage against the likes of his girl and someone working on the horror film he's lending financial support to. That's a statement in itself. Money matters as thematic material for films dealing with characters with (or without) plenty of it is nothing new, and here, once again that is a driving force behind the monster with a ridiculously posh mansion overlooking breathtaking canyons, high up the hill. He drives the fancy sports car, can afford to lounge around without fear of being forced to find employment or a job that demands his precious time and energies, but bemoans the condition by his father to see a shrink. Gus Van Sant is the shrink in a token cameo where Christian whines about Tara "betraying him", although he goes over to his yoga instructor's house to bang her on occasion (and expects Tara to participate in his own "sanctioned" lust-making sessions; she can only have sex with partners of his choosing!). It is all about his need to be in command; when this slips, Christian becomes psychotic. 

The whole point seems to be that when you cross paths with Christian, stay on his good side. If you don't, there's hell to pay. Tara will never have the same life after her year with Christian, and Ryan's career may never recover (his life in shambles, he would have been better off staying with the reliable girlfriend, Gina, but he couldn't halt the yearning for Tara). As the film ends, another remains obsessed with Tara's life after Christian...Ryan. Ryan has a lady friend borderline interrogate her about "what she's been up to", and we last see him crunched in a couch, soon looking directly at us. Fade to black.

Schrader's films do feature nudity often extensively and sex often plays a heavy part in how characters interact, behave, and live. It is important to Christian, Tara uses it, and Ryan is stuck having to give it away in the prospects of eventually making it in Hollywood. Ellis writes about how affluence and carnal cravings influence the young, mostly in LA. Money can make and (usually) destroy the young, but the need to have it all is a driving force that typically leads to damaging results.

Lohan brings her past to the role, understanding all too well what LA can do to the young, once introduced to what it provides (and takes away). I found her weary and ruined in this character: desired by men, but objectified, willing to sacrifice love and joy for comfort and luxury. I see her now, and I think it's damned unfortunate she fell to plastic surgery at such a young age. Maybe she's the perfect casting choice, though, for the kind of material featured in The Canyons?

This distant shot of the city makes a direct statement of sex obsessed, image-conscious Hollywood.

 

Schrader has several establishing shots of Christian's mansion just to describe how abundantly wealthy he is.

I just hope this isn't the last we see of Schrader, but after the lack of a decent venue--besides video on demand which will pretty much take anything--and a box office gross abysmal even for as little as the film cost to make ($250,000 reportedly), I'm afraid The Canyons may be used against the director/writer. The music and soundtrack seem to suitably fit the setting and characters that populate it. I seriously dug the opening credits lamenting the relics of  the cinema theaters of old, fading reminders of the past much like the drive-in theaters now serving as parking lots, abandoned and fallen to ruin. It damn near breaks the heart (or at least tugs on the heart strings). I didn't think his style or photographic aesthetics were at fault here...to me, the material, characters and their story together, didn't light my fire. This could be the death knell for Ellis, though; his The Informers (a film I liked quite a bit) was considered a failure, and this box office bomb won't help matters, either. James Deen, a hardcore porn actor, has the looks for such a pretty boy narcissist scumbag, but the character has little shades of grey; he's just a brat who needs to dominate everything, and this cretin can't handle a challenge in regards to women. Ryan supposed to be a victim of circumstances, but he places himself in this trap, walking right into quicksand. Christian is responsible for that quicksand and watches him sink. The way the film ends, Christian has moved on to contributing to future movie projects, Tara is in a new relationship, and Ryan is in need of work...typical statement that the lion devours, one fawn luckily flees just out of reach, while another is partially devoured and left for dead. That's LA for you.