Philip Seymour Hoffman Called This Thriller “Pretty S**y” — Here’s Why

Philip Seymour Hoffman once called Mulholland Drive a “pretty s***” movie, and it seems he wasn’t alone in noticing the film’s erotic undertones.

The 2001 surrealist mystery, written and directed by David Lynch, stars Naomi Watts as an aspiring actress and Laura Harring as a woman suffering from amnesia after a car crash. The two women join forces to uncover Harring’s character’s past, leading to a story that mixes Hollywood intrigue with a mind-bending exploration of reality and illusion.

The film is famous for its unusual narrative and symbolic approach, which has puzzled audiences for years. Lynch never fully explained the plot, leaving viewers, critics, and even the cast to interpret the story for themselves.

Despite its deeper themes, some viewers focus on the sexual elements, particularly the scene in which Watts and Harring’s characters share an intimate moment after discovering a dead body.

Harring spoke about the experience in a 2019 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, saying, “I’m not going to lie: I felt very vulnerable. I was in my dressing room and was on the verge of tears. It’s hard. There are a lot of people there … Naomi and I were friends. It was pretty awkward.”

Originally, Mulholland Drive was planned as a television pilot for ABC, shot in 1999. After executives declined to continue the series, Lynch reworked the material into a feature film with the help of French production company StudioCanal.

The final version blends dreamlike sequences, shifting identities, and vignettes that challenge conventional storytelling. The story also includes a Hollywood director navigating mob pressures while casting his new film, adding layers to Lynch’s critique of the movie industry.

The film earned Lynch the Best Director award at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival and a nomination for Best Director at the Academy Awards. It also significantly boosted Naomi Watts’ career and marked the final feature for Hollywood legend Ann Miller.

Over time, Mulholland Drive has been praised as one of the greatest films ever made. In 2022, the Sight and Sound critics’ poll placed it at number eight, while the BBC and IndieWire declared it the best film of the 21st century. In 2025, The New York Times ranked it second on their list of the 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century, and The Ringer highlighted Watts’ performance as the greatest of the century.

Whether viewers focus on the erotic tension, the Hollywood critique, or the dreamlike mystery, Mulholland Drive continues to captivate and provoke discussion more than two decades after its release. Its mix of beauty, suspense, and surrealism keeps audiences returning to try to unravel Lynch’s intentions.

Personally, I find it fascinating how a film can be both deeply puzzling and openly sensual at the same time. Mulholland Drive is proof that cinema can challenge your mind and senses simultaneously. What do you think, are you more intrigued by the mystery, the performances, or the erotic elements? Share your thoughts in the comments.