Under the Silver Lake

David Robert Mitchell's 2014 break-out hit It Follows, in which teens are stalked by a uniquely inescapable demon, suggested a new career in horror; instead, he has taken a wild left turn with this wilfully wacky stoner noir. Former Spider-Man Andrew Garfield stars as Sam, an LA hipster perpetually on the verge of eviction from his crummy condo. A chance encounter with new neighbour Sarah (Riley Keough) suggests romance is in the offing, but, overnight, she and her roomies are gone, their flat emptied and daubed with cryptic symbols - and so a search ensues, leading Sam down many loopy rabbit holes and uncovering ties to the disappearance of a celebrity tycoon. After the comparatively sophisticated It Follows, the often-juvenile tone may come as a bit of a shock, and, coupled with the director's geeky predilection for cool music and movie references, may not sit well with older audiences. A less sniffy movie enthusiast will find much to enjoy, however, in a gonzo cult mystery that seeks, and proceeds, to boggle the mind.