Ignore Critics – ‘Hollywood’ By Ryan Murphy And Ian Brennan Is A Star!

Film critics have a way of looking for what is wrong rather than for what is right. Raise your hand if you ever felt that a critic’s opinion of a film or television show was absurd. Raise your other hand if you suspect that many critics are film school graduates who were unable to sell their screenplays and so they wreak vengeance by becoming self-appointed arbiters of art.

You are not alone. You can put your hands down now.

The Netflix dramatic miniseries Hollywood, created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, dazzles. The story is about aspiring actors, writers and directors in the post-World War II era who seek their Hollywood dreams during the industry’s Golden Age. But they must overcome bigotry and promises of stardom that only come in exchange for sexual favors.

That’s a wonderful world to explore, but whereas 80% of audiences gave it a thumbs-up on Rotten Tomatoes, only 58% of critics did so. One prominent critic praised its blend of fact and fiction along with the performances but added, “Hollywood can’t overcome script problems that surface about midway through the story.” Another called it, “spineless and inert.” Still another said that, “It’s been a while since I watched a new TV series that confounded and infuriated me quite as much as Ryan Murphy’s new Netflix series Hollywood.” I did not attach names to these quotes because they simply reflect those of several critics.

The mismatch between critic and audience interest is common. The 2018 film Bohemian Rhapsody won four Oscars and made $900 million at the worldwide box office, yet only 60% of critics approved of it on Rotten Tomatoes versus 85% of audiences. Only 29% of critics gave the 2018 film Venom a positive review compared to 80% of audiences. Yet the blockbuster made $856 million at the worldwide box office. The highly popular Full House TV series ran from 1987 through 1995, delivering 192 episodes, and achieved a 100% audience score for Season 1. Critics came in at 40%.

Unfortunately, many critics often look for small details they can critique while ignoring far bigger themes cherished by audiences. I spent my career researching reactions of audiences to films and television shows, and Hollywood connects with viewers in many ways.  

Audiences love to peek inside the beauty and ugliness of Tinseltown, and Hollywood delivers. The story is loosely based on the memoir of Scotty Bowers who worked at a gas station in old Hollywood and whose celebrity customers came not for gasoline but for sexual tune-ups. The young gas station attendants, who are aspiring filmmakers, must work at the station to make a living while striving to overcome bigotry and harassment to attain stardom. The characters eventually get involved in the development of a film about a talented actress who commits suicide because her dreams are crushed. This, too, is loosely based on the actual 1932 suicide of a talented young actress named Peg Entwistle. Her body was found in a ravine at the foot of the old Hollywoodland sign, and police inferred she jumped from the top of the “H”.  Just like in the real Hollywood, beauty and ugliness go hand in hand in this miniseries.

Audiences can also appreciate that Hollywood is as relevant today as it was in the late 1940’s. Roughly 100 women accused filmmaker Harvey Weinstein of sexual misconduct. He was recently sentenced by a New York court to 23 years in prison for criminal sexual acts and rape. He faces similar charges in Los Angeles. In February, 2020, CNN business noted that, “When the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences failed to nominate even one person of color for an Oscar for the second year in a row in January 2016, Hollywood insiders and reform advocates pointed to dismally-low demographic figures to argue the annual awards show’s lack of diversity was a reflection of an industry-wide problem. Today, however, the latest list of nominees in major Oscar categories is nearly as white as it was four years ago.” Very little has changed.

Hollywood also provides a fascinating look at real life royalty of that era and the biased social system in which they lived. Though a fictionalized version, Hollywood depicts a fundamental truth about famous actors including a closeted Rock Hudson, a has-been Anna May Wong, and a bipolar Vivien Leigh. It’s a tantalizing peek behind the silvery screen of the struggles that these real stars endured.

Audiences will greatly appreciate the superb performances from an outstanding cast that includes David Corenswet, Darren Criss, Laura Harrier, Joe Mantello, Dylan McDermott, Jake Picking, Jeremy Pope, Rob Reiner, Holland Taylor, Samara Weaving, Jim Parsons, and Patti LuPone.

All of these strengths are the glitter that Hollywood sprinkles to attract audiences. But beneath the sparkle is the show’s belief system that makes it truly satisfying. Hollywood reinforces these beliefs that, while overlooked and considered trite by some critics, are cherished by audiences:

• That where you are going is more important than where you have been
• That big sacrifices are needed to achieve big dreams
• That everyone deserves a second chance to prove their worth
• That persistence pays off
• That shared success is more rewarding than success attained alone 
• That those who succeed have a duty to pull others up into the limelight
• That breaking down walls is more fulfilling than building them
• That fearlessly living your truth makes life meaningful

Ignore the critics. Hollywood is a star!