When I saw the synopsis for ‘Locating Silver Lake,” I shrugged and said, another one of these movies – vapid ‘coming of age’ tropes by and about young people acting stupid. I mean, it even stars Joshua Peck, from one of those children’s shows. But surprise of all surprises, I thought the film is well done, and traded a different path. Peck is Daniel, a writer who moves to Los Angeles after being dumped by his girlfriend on graduation. He settles in a neighborhood adjacent to Silver Lake, and he starts to meet people who may or may not be who they seem to be. The plot is generic enough, but there are some unique touches here. The second half, for example, goes to places I never imagined it would. Finn Wittrock is especially good as that ‘mysterious’ guy he meets at a bar. And I have to say Peck does well here, too, essaying a man who learns a lot about life and more importantly, about himself, in the whole process.

Maybe I was also drawn to the film because I also moved to Los Angeles last year, and I have also learned so much more about myself here in the process.