There's a clash of cultures, families and sexual orientations in "Laurel Canyon", and I enjoyed all of it. Sam (Christian Bale) and Alex (Kate Beckinsale) are an uptight, New York couple in complete control of their lives, until they move in with Sam's mother Jane (Frances McDormand) who is a loose hippie (in all senses of the words). Jane also has a slew of rock-and-roll men living in her house, most notably, Ian (Alessandro Nivola),her primary boyfriend with an irresistible accent - but then again Jane and Ian don't really label anything, especially relationships.

As Sam grows increasingly frustrated by his mother's lifestyle, Alex grows increasingly intrigued by it. Sam's need to control everything can get annoying, but Bale plays well off of Beckinsale's quiet energy. The sexual tension between Beckinsale, Nivola and McDormand is electric and is able to keep driving the film forward.

The dialogue is funny enough and the actors are all very good that they make up for the slightly predictable plot. At the Independent Spirit Awards, Frances McDormand was nominated for Best Supporting Actress and Alessandro Nivola for Best Supporting Actor. Well deserved nominations and quite possibly the best performances of their careers. Be prepared for sexual energy in every direction, but I recommend "Laurel Canyon".

Sam (Christian Bale) and Alex (Kate Beckinsale) are a straight-laced couple moving to L.A. Sam is a new psychiatrist and Alex is doing her Ph.D. They are staying at his free-spirited mother Jane (Frances McDormand)'s supposed empty home in Laurel Canyon. To their surprise, Jane is home recording with her boyfriend Ian McKnight (Alessandro Nivola) and his band.

Some have complain about the ending. Some have complain about the pace. But the central problem is actually the relationship between the mother and son. It needs more meat on the bone, or more flavor for the tofu. It's odd to me that the mother and son never talked about the father. Their conflict always seemed superficial. He's embarrassed by his mother...big deal. Something from the past could have given them a bigger conflict, and given the film more spice.

Sam (Christian Bale),who is a very contained and repressed young man very rigid in his principles, and his girlfriend Alex (Kate Beckinsale),who belongs to a very conservative family, have just graduated in the medicine school of Harvard. Sam decides to have his residence in psychiatric field in California, while Alex is preparing her dissertation in genomics for her Ph.D. They decide to move together to Laurel Canyon Street, a street in Hollywood, to a borrowed house that belongs to Sam's mother Jane (Frances McDormand),a successful music producer. When they arrive in the place, they realize that Jane is living there with her sixteen years younger boyfriend Ian McKnight (Alessandro Nivola),while producing a record of the rock band where Ian is the lead singer. Jane is a free woman, living as if she were in the 70's, and does not have a good relationship with Sam, who does not feel comfortable sharing the house with his mother. In the hospital, Sam meets and feels a great attraction for the also resident Dr. Sara (Natascha McElhone). Meanwhile, Alex feels a great attraction for the different world of Jane and for Ian. In the end, the young couple passes for a new experience in life, and Sam "rebirths" as a different man. I liked "Laurel Canyon" a lot. It deals with a subjective matter, moral values, and it does not judge the behavior of any characters. Things happen as if in real life, and there is no concern in being politically correct, with corny end or redemption of any character. The inconclusive end is also excellent, and we do not know how Sam will change his personality: for better or worse, who can judge? The performance of the magnificent cast is stunning. The outstanding Frances McDormand, the mature Christian Bale, the versatile and very gorgeous Kate Beckinsale, the excellent and also very beautiful Natascha McElhone and the surprisingly good Alessandro Nivola, who inclusive sings a wonderful song, are very inspired in this great low-budget movie. The Brazilian title is simply ridiculous. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Laurel Canyon – A Rua das Tentações" ("Laurel Canyon – The Street of the Temptations")