“I don’t know if you’re a detective or a pervert.”

I decided to expand my film appreciation by watching 50 Criterion films in 2025, and Blue Velvet turned out to be an intense way to start. While not overly symbolic or confusing on the surface, the style in which David Lynch presents this film is stimulating and thought-provoking.

The first thirty minutes of Blue Velvet don’t prepare you for the twisting mystery which unravels throughout the film, and wraps up in an almost unexpectedly jovial conclusion. It’s difficult to believe everything can go back to normal after the events which transpire, and I was left waiting for the Inception top spinning scene which never appears. This type of ending works because throughout the film our protagonist, Jeremy (Kyle MacLachlan), is constantly entranced by the alluring and seductive world of depravity and battles his inner demons from letting this world consume him, never entirely crossing the line. Blue Velvet is all about the balance between this purity and depravity.

The film jumps between innocent scenes of idyllic American life, showing white picket fences with flowers and young love, to dark moments of sexual abuse, drug addiction, and bloody violence. These scenes show a simple balance between good and evil in life. I was never left with the sense that they were at war with each other, instead creating a strange harmony of choice. As Jeffrey is exposed to the darker side of life, he is entranced and seduced to dip his toes into the deep end. He feels the rush of lechery while battling his internal morality and desire to help those he sees as innocent victims of their circumstance, pulled into this dark side against their will. However, it’s intentionally never quite clear whether these victims are actually victims or enjoy the depravity.

Blue Velvet is a difficult film to dissect. A coming of age story with themes about good vs. evil and voyeurism feel like hollow descriptions of what is presented. The plot is a constant flow of subverting expectations and leaves you never ready for what’s going to happen next. While this was an intense film to start the year with, it occupied my mind for days trying to dissect something which can’t be simplified into a stagnant description. The line that stuck out to me the most adequately describes how I felt while watching the film: “I don’t know if you’re a detective or a pervert.”

Afterthought – I viewed this film the day before the director, David Lynch, passed away. This small note is my form of appreciation to a true auteur, always creating films through his unique lens. I’m eagerly looking forward to experiencing what else Lynch’s filmography has to offer.

★★★★✩ 4/5

“I like to make films because I like to go into another world. I like to get lost in another world. And film to me is a magical medium that makes you dream…allows you to dream in the dark. It’s just a fantastic thing, to get lost inside the world of film.”

– David Lynch