Lisa Cholodenko

Harvard graduate Sam and his fiancée, Alex, move into Sam's mother's house in upscale Laurel Canyon, thinking that she would not be there. Only problem is that she is still there, supposedly finishing up a record that she's producing for her boy toy Ian's band. Sam's mom seems more interested in smoking pot and drinking than actually working, though. Alex doesn't mind, but Sam is quite upset. Alex starts off focused as she works on finishing a dissertation...

This film depicts a naive young woman whose stock rises at a pretentious art magazine because of her budding relationship with a once brilliant photographer who had a breakdown years ago. The question is how deeply Syd is willing to immerse herself in Berliner's hedonistic, heroin-infused, lesbian lifestyle.