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Rating:
A richly detailed, vibrant examination of the 1970s glam rock scene, Todd Haynes' colorful follow-up to his acclaimed 1995 film Safe is slightly more accommodating to mainstream audiences, but retains his trademark allegorical singularity and almost-Kubrickian chilliness. The film is cast to perfection, with Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Ewan McGregor completely convincing as sullen, wayward rock stars, and Christian Bale's reporter character a most sympathetic figure. Interestingly, Bale's subplot plays as an homage to Orson Welles' landmark 1941 masterwork Citizen Kane, its overlapping narrative combining the past with the present in an attempt to investigate the film's central mystery. An unfortunate misfire in theaters, where it never connected with its core audience, Haynes' film is a terrific example of uncompromised independent filmmaking, recalling the days of Ken Russell and Richard Lester more than anyone. The film was also a surprise Oscar nominee for its exceptional costume design by Sandy Powell, who ended up winning the prize that year for the more audience-friendly Shakespeare in Love. Jason Clark, All Movie Guide

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