ShareThisWatching "Lynch" is like going to the zoo and catching the tiger during his nap instead of feeding time.The profile of surrealist filmmaker David Lynch -- inventively shot but short on substance -- leaves you scratching your head just the way many of Lynch's films do. Unlike this documentary, however, his movies don't usually bore you along the way.Directed by a filmmaker who dubs himself blackANDwhite, reportedly a close friend of Lynch's, "Lynch" is the opening round of a trilogy. Hopefully the follow-up will be made by observantANDincisive.What you'll get out of the documentary directly relates to your knowledge and interest in the idiosyncratic filmmaker.The film skimps on background, spending most of its time following the director around as he prepares and films "Inland Empire," his inexplicably involving 2006 drama starring Laura Dern and people dressed up in rabbit costumes. If you aren't enough of a Lynch fan to have seen "Inland Empire," this movie has almost nothing to offer you, making you fend for yourself on the set of a movie that makes little sense on-screen, and even less behind the scenes.You get the feeling you're only seeing what Lynch wants you to see. There's no outside perspective, and while many of Lynch's spontaneous, non-sequitur-laced anecdotes are as mesmerizing as his movies, too much of the running time is relegated to observing mundanity.Lynch muses about his love for transcendental meditation and power walks.We watch him bicker over the phone with an actor who has stood him up. He barks orders to actors and crew, occasionally scolding them with vulgarity. My favorite moments capture Lynch sitting at his computer desk conducting his podcast in a staccato cheeriness that matches Agent Cooper's in "Twin Peaks."I didn't expect the master to explain the obtuse imagery in "Blue Velvet" or "Mulholland Drive" -- Lynch is famous for letting his films speak for themselves -- but a little insight and reflection would have been nice."Lynch" is nothing more than a keyhole-surveillance-cam freeze-frame of the offbeat artist, raising more questions than answers.2 stars out of 4Not rated.Family call: Some rough language makes this one for adults.Running time: 84 minutes.(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)
Profile of filmmaker David Lynch short on substance
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