"Wim Wenders' new pic is almost a compendium of the director's lifetime themes and obsessions - American trash culture, a fascination with what's cool on the music scene and a story in which lost souls seek redemption." - David Stratton, Variety

Special Agent Skinner (Mel Gibson) is called in to investigate the death of Izzy Goldkiss, the son of a media magnate. His focus is the decrepit Million Dollar Hotel, a downtown LA repository for a menagerie of kooks, drunks, and flakes. The question on everyone's lips is: who pushes Izzy from the roof of the hotel?

The film is based on a story by U2's Bono, who, with a collection of pals including Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, also provided the fantastic score. Wenders employs an ensemble of eccentrics, focussing here on the mentally befuddled Tom Tom and his romantic obsession Eloise (Milla Jovovish). It is their platonic love affair and Tom Tom's interaction with super uptight Skinner that propels this curious yarn. Exceptional photography and numerous fine supporting players and cameos (Jimmy Smits, Amanda Plummer, a fleeting glimpse of tim Roth and most of U2) explain why Wenders' film was chosen to open the 50th Berlin Film Festival.