Sam and Alex are a newly engaged couple who move to Los Angeles to further their careers. Sam is a recently graduated psychiatrist, starting his residency, while Alex, who comes from a very wealthy background, and is also an MD, is finishing her Ph.D. dissertation on genomics. The relatively strait-laced, upwardly mobile couple plan to stay at the vacant home of Sam's mother, Jane, a free-spirited record producer in the Laurel Canyon section of the City of Los Angeles. In a change of plans, however, Jane is still around, recording an album with her British boyfriend, Ian McKnight, and his band. Jane and Ian are in the midst of a fiery romance, and both the producer and the band seem more interested in partying than finishing the record. Jane's presence is a source of consternation for Sam, as he and his mother have a somewhat strained relationship, due to their very different mindsets. Alex, however, is intrigued by the new lifestyle options presented by her soon-to-be mother-in-law. Normally hardworking, Alex begins spending more time with the band and less time working on her dissertation. Her growing fascination with Jane and Ian leads to a scene where the three of them kiss one another while naked in the swimming pool. Meanwhile, Sam finds himself attracted to Israeli fellow resident Sara, who is unapologetically interested in him as well. They share one first kiss while returning from an informal interns' meeting, around the same time Alex has her first tryst with Jane and Ian in the pool. Some time later, while Alex attends Jane and Ian's party held in a crowded hotel suite to celebrate the band's new album release, Sam and Sara meet in a parking lot and, in a conversation filled with sexual tension, they declare their attraction for one another. The situation strains Sam and Alex's relationship almost to the point of breaking by the end of the film. After the party has finished and the three of them are left alone in the suite, Ian tries to "finish" his encounter with Alex and Jane, but the latter decides against it and the threesome does not take place. Upon returning home after his conversation with Sara, Sam decides to go tothe hotel and discovers Jane, Ian, and Alex scantily-clad in the bedroom. In a fit of rage he repeatedly punches Ian, hits his mother with his elbow as she tries to split up the fight, and leaves the hotel, but Alex chases him down the street and professes her love for him. The next morning, the situation seems back to normal again. But Sara phones Sam and tells him she can't control her heart, as opposed to what he told her the day before. Sam watches his surroundings, postpones any further conversation, and takes a moment of reflection.
Cholodenko has said the film was inspired by Joni Mitchell's album, Ladies of the Canyon. The script was workshopped at Sundance Institute's lab. The film focuses in some depth on the challenge of trying to create successful pop music, showing work on two tracks.
Reception
Critical reception was mixed, with a 68% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 110 reviews and a consensus summary: "Though the movie itself is flawed, McDormand is fantastic as Jane." Roger Ebert of The Chicago Sun-Times gave the movie 2 stars out of a possible 4, writing: '"Laurel Canyon" is not a successful movie—it's too stilted and pre-programmed to come alive—but in the center of it McDormand occupies a place for her character and makes that place into a brilliant movie of its own. There is nothing wrong with who she is and what she does, although all around her actors are cracking up in strangely written roles.' Metacritic gave the film a score of 61%. The relationship between Alex and Jane earned the film a ranking of 56 on Autostraddle's list of the 102 best lesbian films of all time.
