New Hollywood arrival Sarah (Alexandra Essoe) finds that there is more to being in Hollywood than landing at its doorstep. Quickly learning she needs to get ahead of her friends for a future in the movies, the sacrifices she will have to make are much greater than she would first expect.

 

The lovechild of Lynch and Cronenberg leaves the starlet reaching desperate lows for her ultimate goal. Her transformation from the glamorous newbie to Hollywoodland to the hoodie wearing, blood stained mess her journey takes her on, Essoe portrays Sarah with conviction and somehow as a viewer, forget there is an actress playing the part and more that this is a documentary for so many wannabe actresses who head for their dream, waiting for things to fall into place.

 

Supporting her transition into the movies are her “friends” who try their best to keep her in touch but as she starts “doing” what she dreams. A great supporting cast in Noah Segan, Amanda Fuller, Fabianne Therese and Pat Healy, but it’s what transcends from Sarah’s devotion to achieving what she wants that steals the show. Her selfish evolution that sees everything and everyone around her fall apart, with the only thing keeping her on path being the sinister “Producer” (Louis Dezseran) and assistant (Maria Olsen) whose end goal sees a barter with the Devil.

 

there is something menacingly simple about Kolsch and Widmyer’s portrayal of the City of Dreams that brings realism into its unsettling climax. The idea that one persons desperation will drive them to their ultimate desires, something we’ve all read in the tabloids. It’s dream like transposition leads to an open end, despite the events surrounding Sarah, the truth may be much more desperate indeed.

 

Not only does Essoe give a startling performance (this is only the beginning of bigger things for her) as the central character but along with its jingling score and support cast, all culminating in a powerful film from it’s writers and directors. ‘Starry Eyes’ leaves a lasting effect not seen since Ben Wheatley’s ‘Kill List’ and will be at the top of any good movie-goers film list, not afraid to show all of the blood and guts it takes to get to the top, Kolsch and Widmyer have a modern masterpiece on their hands.