L.A. Without a Map

L.A. Without a Map is a 1998 romantic comedy-drama film directed by Mika Kaurismäki and written by Mika Kaurismäki and Richard Rayner, based on his novel. The film stars David Tennant, Vinessa Shaw, Julie Delpy, Vincent Gallo, Joe Dallesandro, and Johnny Depp. It is a French, British and Finnish production.

Also known under the titles: Los Angeles Without a Map, and I Love L.A. (France)

While visiting a Northern English city, Barbara (Vinessa Shaw), an aspiring Hollywood actress, has a fling with the town undertaker Richard (David Tennant), who also writes obituaries for the local paper and has written one unpublished novel, Uzi Suicide. Barbara returns home, where she works as a waitress at a Japanese restaurant. She brags about the handsome writer she met while away. Unfortunately, Richard follows her to Hollywood.

The film opens with Richard explaining to the audience about his existence in Bradford. While attending one of his funerals, Richard meets Barbara, an aspiring American actress passing through the city for the day. The two enjoy their limited time together before Barbara is due to return to Los Angeles, where she makes a living working as a waitress in a French restaurant in the hopes that she is spotted by a talent scout. Unable to forget about her, Richard promptly leaves Bradford without announcing so to his fiancé.

Richard quickly finds Barbara who is shocked to see that he has followed her to America – she had told her friends at the restaurant of Richard, allowing them to believe that he is a famous British writer. Embarrassed, Barbara shoos Richard away, asking him to accompany her on a photo shoot outside the town. Richard charms Barbara throughout their second day together, defending her honor when the photographer tried to seduce her. However, moments after he announced that the two of them should be married immediately he is introduced to Patterson, Barbara's boyfriend. She asks Richard, who doesn't drive, to take her car as she is leaving with Patterson – he does so regardless and finds himself surrounded by Hollywood cops. He must leave the car in an uneasy neighbourhood before returning to his hotel.