PLOT: The enduring mystery surrounding the 1959 death of TV's Superman -- actor George Reeves -- is examined in this period Hollywood drama with Ben Affleck as the unhappy actor who was typecast and Adrien Brody as the fictional private detective who couldn't let the Reeves case go.
On the surface, it would seem Ben Affleck can relate to the plight of '50s actor George Reeves, whom Affleck plays in the new film Hollywoodland.
Affleck, who saw his promising early career derail due to booze, Bennifer and bad movies after he won a best screenplay Oscar for Good Will Hunting, is definitely primed for a comeback -- and his best performance in years should do the trick.
Sadly, Reeves never bounced back from his downward spiral after being typecast as TV's Superman, and was found dead in his Benedict Canyon home from a single gunshot wound to the head in 1959.
Reeves' death was initially ruled a suicide, but evidence to the contrary, including two bullet holes found in the floor, suggested foul play was involved.
Adrien Brody plays a fictional private detective in the movie hired by Reeves' mother to investigate.
As played by Affleck, who put on 20 pounds and looks as if he's sporting a prosthetic nose, Reeves is charming, funny and struggling to be taken seriously as an actor and, ultimately, a man.
The personal and professional emasculation begins when his first big break comes courtesy of Toni (Diane Lane), wife of MGM studio boss Eddie Mannix (Bob Hoskins).
The couple meet at a Hollywood restaurant as Reeves elbows his way into a photo shot of Rita Hayworth, and Toni picks up on his desperation.
Eventually, she buys him a home and wants to keep him on a short leash despite his desire to move beyond the Superman cape, its cheap and often humiliating duties and large child following. (He had a small role in Gone With The Wind before the TV show but his part in From Here To Eternity was cut because audiences associated him too closely with The Man Of Steel.)
Affleck eventually breaks things off with Toni after meeting a younger New York harpy (Robin Tunney) who initially pleases him in the sack but becomes a downer in so many other ways.
To his credit, director Allen Coulter (The Sopranos, Sex And The City) beautifully captures '50s-era Hollywood in terms of architecture, clothes and cars in his feature directorial debut.
Unfortunately, he has trouble making the film one cohesive piece.
There are a lot of characters -- and uniformly great performances by Affleck, Brody, Lane, Hoskins and Tunney.
But drawing parallels between Brody's broken home life (Canadian Molly Parker plays his wife) and Reeves' tortured existence is a major stretch, and really the fault of screenwriter Paul Bernbaum, who's also making his feature film debut here.
At over two hours long, Hollywoodland also drags when it really should be zipping by.
This is an interesting story with talented actors and slick set pieces, yet somehow it winds up being less than the sum of its dazzling parts.
BOTTOM LINE: Ben Affleck gives one of his best performances in years as doomed '50s actor George Reeves. Sadly, the movie is too long and first-time feature director Allen Coulter seems slightly out of his league despite additional noteworthy performances by Adrien Brody, Diane Lane, and Robin Tunney.
(This film is rated 14-A)
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