Inland Empire
518 Media | Release Date: December 6, 2006
7.4
USER SCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 169 Ratings
USER RATING DISTRIBUTION
Positive:
119
Mixed:
22
Negative:
28
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User Reviews

User scoreBy dateMost helpful
3
DamonC.Dec 17, 2006
I'm the biggest fan of David Lynch. I have seen Mulholland Drive 5 times, Lost Highway and Blue Velvet twice each, and relished Twin Peaks, The Elephant Man and Wild at Heart. But as much as I wanted to, I didn't go for IE. I think I'm the biggest fan of David Lynch. I have seen Mulholland Drive 5 times, Lost Highway and Blue Velvet twice each, and relished Twin Peaks, The Elephant Man and Wild at Heart. But as much as I wanted to, I didn't go for IE. I think the story is actually very simple: Laura Dern's character, despite not heeding a warning against acting in a particular movie, go ahead and does it anyway and falls in love with her co-star. This opens the pathway into two alternate universes: (i) a white trash equivalent of Laura Dern's character, and (ii) a Polish mirror image. Much happens, but the essential thing is that through the magic (i.e. catharsis) of cinema, a person is able to transcend humdrum problems, even murders, and Laura Dern's character learn enough from the movie to be able to connect to her white trash and Polish selves, and is eventually able to penetrate into a new world, where even bad acting (notably by bunnies, and by implication, herself) receives thunderous applause. Okay, but so what? I sat through three hours of tedium without experiencing much suspense, mystery or in fact, any emotional connection with Laura Dern's incarnations. The best thing about IE was the bunnies, and that was really stolen from a short film done a couple of years ago. I think Lynch is stuck on traveling the lost highway of Mulholland Drive, and needs to get off quick before it all turns into another sordid episode of True Hollywood Stories.… Expand
0 of 1 users found this helpful
3
JustinLJun 14, 2007
I'm a Lynch fan who almost walked out on this one at the theater. It's so overly self-indulgent & purposefully annoying. There's some wonderful Lynch moments, but as a whole piece it's certainly one of his weakest efforts.
0 of 1 users found this helpful
3
MarcDoyleAug 13, 2010
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I don't know what the hell happened in this movie - if "happened" is even a useful term. People talk about Inception as a "dream" movie - but this one was a true dream. F-ed up images, unconnected nonsense. I love Lynch, but he even admitted that random, unconnected scenes came to him and he essentially "threw them in!". It was a LONG three hours.… Expand
0 of 1 users found this helpful01
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2
DennisC.Aug 14, 2007
This is a befuddling mess of a movie. Just like other great directors, there does seem to come a time when an artist has only sycophants to guide him/her. I have followed Lynch down many a dark alley of his mind, but this just leads nowhere.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
0
LarryH.May 5, 2007
I love David Lynch. I am a follower of Lynch. But Inland Empire was 3 hours of abysmal film. It was plotless, it was uninspired, and it made no sense. This movie has officially become the worst movie of all time in my books. Shame on Lynch I love David Lynch. I am a follower of Lynch. But Inland Empire was 3 hours of abysmal film. It was plotless, it was uninspired, and it made no sense. This movie has officially become the worst movie of all time in my books. Shame on Lynch for directing and Dern for producing this movie.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
2
KadorP.Dec 31, 2006
OK - this is it ladies and gents - a three hour actors' workshop - very good scenes but I Am a David Lynch fan and was sorely disappointed that there was absolutely No Payoff At All on this film - for the first time, in my humble OK - this is it ladies and gents - a three hour actors' workshop - very good scenes but I Am a David Lynch fan and was sorely disappointed that there was absolutely No Payoff At All on this film - for the first time, in my humble opinion - Just because someone's done it in the past, doesn't mean everything they do is "brilliant" - This was simply a bucketful lot of slap-dash with no continuity Or Relevance. But still, if you're a fan, you can't leave, sort of like one of those famous potato chips, though not as salty. Save your money for the DVD - it's certainly not something you need to see all in one seating.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
0
FredC.Oct 6, 2007
I rarely go to a movie that I feel was a total waste of money, but this one certainly was. I boldly sat through the entire unstructured mess, even though a good 1/3 of the audience had trickled out by the end. I've liked all of I rarely go to a movie that I feel was a total waste of money, but this one certainly was. I boldly sat through the entire unstructured mess, even though a good 1/3 of the audience had trickled out by the end. I've liked all of Lynch's films except for Eraserhead, but this fiasco even made Eraserhead look good. Come on, Mr. Lynch, you can do better! Please make some movies with the audience in mind, not just to put your fantasies on celluloid. After all, you are expecting us to PAY to go see your work. It seems to me you've let success go to your head.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
0
DrDM.Mar 10, 2007
Great acting, great vision, great cinamatogrophy. 1 hour less and a fusion of the ideas would have made this into an all time best, but Lynch is just playing with his audience - pretentious artistic faeces. No theme -maybe East Europe white Great acting, great vision, great cinamatogrophy. 1 hour less and a fusion of the ideas would have made this into an all time best, but Lynch is just playing with his audience - pretentious artistic faeces. No theme -maybe East Europe white slavery brought to US, drugged up hooker believing in her mind that she is a famous actress, but no -real shame and a waste of time.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
2
YokM.Mar 22, 2007
Three hours of relentlessly intense ugly digital footage, so icomprehensively incoherent and art installation-esqe that its just completely (and doubtlessly intentionally) unaccessible on any level. The most agrivating thing is that its so Three hours of relentlessly intense ugly digital footage, so icomprehensively incoherent and art installation-esqe that its just completely (and doubtlessly intentionally) unaccessible on any level. The most agrivating thing is that its so reminiscent of art installation work thats already out there it doesnt even have that element of originality that could make it exciting. The continually fluctuating fragments of messy editing, dialogue that might as well been spoken in Elvish it has so little relevence to the rest of the film and delivery similar to the average pullchord bandai toy, make this absolute torture to sit through. It is the embodinment of pretension and an obnoxiously self obsessive venture on Lynch's part, showing that his name is not only a license to print money, but also to actively abuse celluloid.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
0
TomB.Jan 15, 2007
I've loved everything that David Lynch has done from Eraserhead to Mullholland drive. Having said that I have no reservation in saying that this is the WORST film I have ever seen from a known director. I believe that Mr. Lynch I've loved everything that David Lynch has done from Eraserhead to Mullholland drive. Having said that I have no reservation in saying that this is the WORST film I have ever seen from a known director. I believe that Mr. Lynch intentionally set out to show us all that he can do whatever he wishes with absolutely no regard for his fans or audiences in general. He made his point.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
1
DaveS.Feb 24, 2007
I will give it a 1 just because I have really enjoyed his past work, and I just *love* anything with rabbits after Donnie Darko. However, this movie is total crap, hands down. Anyone giving this a high rating is too caught up in the "art" of I will give it a 1 just because I have really enjoyed his past work, and I just *love* anything with rabbits after Donnie Darko. However, this movie is total crap, hands down. Anyone giving this a high rating is too caught up in the "art" of it all to just plain admit that it is boring, incomprehensible, and just feels like Lynch stroking himself from the first hour mark on. So you walk into an art museum, and an artist has thrown multiple colors of paint all over a canvas and called it "art". Guess what? That's called being lazy, and Lynch has done exactly that, only it feels like he's actually trying *harder* to convince us of something. Sorry, dude - stick with Lost Highway and Mulholland Drive, where at least there's *some* sort of story.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
0
Nadie....Jul 8, 2007
Big deception! David Lynch must think that after great movies we can see anything he films, he's wrong. This movie make me remember that time is too precious to waste it.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
0
JessicaSep 24, 2007
Well! I love movies, and I was whiling to watch the whole movie... But this one.... was just the worst movie ever. I love confusing movies that shows you something interesting, but this one was terrible and it seemed like someone just filmed Well! I love movies, and I was whiling to watch the whole movie... But this one.... was just the worst movie ever. I love confusing movies that shows you something interesting, but this one was terrible and it seemed like someone just filmed a bunch of different scenes and put them all in different order. The actors were good, but the movie wasn't good.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
1
FrankieBDec 16, 2007
This is by far the worst movie I´ve ever seen and for sure the worst movie Lynch has ever made. This flick is just so trivial and weird, moving here and there, making no sense at all, not entertaining at all. I nearly turned it off This is by far the worst movie I´ve ever seen and for sure the worst movie Lynch has ever made. This flick is just so trivial and weird, moving here and there, making no sense at all, not entertaining at all. I nearly turned it off after about 20 minutes, because it sucked so hard. Lynch used to make so great films, like Mulholland Drive, a masterpiece. But this time, he totally messed it up, might be due to a massive misuse of narcotics, I suppose. It took me all my manly toughness to watch this flick to the end, after 90 minutes I was just praying to the almighty father he shall show mercy to my tortured soul and let this horrible movie end at once. I would have rated it 0, but due to compassion I leave 1.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
0
KevinD.Mar 17, 2007
Maybe the worst movie I have ever seen. Some artsy types might tell you, it's a great non-naritive but, it is three hours of boring pointless hell!!
0 of 0 users found this helpful
2
FredM.Aug 25, 2007
Extremely long and tedious mind-teasing mess. It lacks the compelling cohesive narrative of Lynch's previous films Mulholland Dr. or Lost Highway, whose themes also dealt with a fragmented psyche and experiencing a nightmarish Extremely long and tedious mind-teasing mess. It lacks the compelling cohesive narrative of Lynch's previous films Mulholland Dr. or Lost Highway, whose themes also dealt with a fragmented psyche and experiencing a nightmarish alternative realities. Although Lynch is successful at presenting a dream state-like world, the film's overindulgence and pretentiousness result in a confusing bore. Previous Lynchean themes are all there: evil entities (Twin Peaks), enslaved women (Blue Velvet), alternative realities and stream of consciousness, weird characters and symbolic situations, but this time they do not capture our imagination. Shots of dilapidated buildings in the Polish winter or bare and dark Hollywood sets where an overacting Laura Dern get lost in the dark become interminable and meaningless. Close ups of faces in distress and histrionics are not elements of good filmmaking. I had to resist my urges to fall sleep! If you want to waste 3 hours of your time, watch it at your own risk.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
0
MitchG.Dec 12, 2006
I am completely tired of people championing David Lynch for his surreal style while requiring not ONE iota of actual sense from his movies!!!! I'm sorry, I'm still paying $10 for a film, and it is NOT FAIR to abandon narrative I am completely tired of people championing David Lynch for his surreal style while requiring not ONE iota of actual sense from his movies!!!! I'm sorry, I'm still paying $10 for a film, and it is NOT FAIR to abandon narrative entirely and just expect the audience to go along, scene after inexplicable scene. We're watching a movie, not a painting. The medium REQUIRES sense!!! I'm TIRED OF THIS. I appreciate Lynch's technical skills, but at this point he has become the lunatic running the asylum. Because of his cache, people call his nonsense "genius" -- it's laughable actually. It's like "Wow, I don't get that at all... wasn't it just genius?" I could go on and on honestly... I hated this film and had to walk out after two hours. It had long since abandoned any string of possible comprehension by the audience. And then in the middle of this morass, some female characters break into a dance of "The Locomotion". PLEASE. Some people may find that funny -- I find it insulting. If I've convinced just one person not to see this film, I'll be happy.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
2
[Anonymous]Dec 21, 2006
Doze-inducing although obviously not without the occasional flash of brilliance. But it's a tough slog.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
0
EntenmaruMar 21, 2012
Worst movie ever. Not only because there is no plot, mainly because there is no real work behind. Mr Lynch think he is so brilliant that he doesn't need the give sens to his creativity.

On the other hand when I see so many of his fans lovingWorst movie ever. Not only because there is no plot, mainly because there is no real work behind. Mr Lynch think he is so brilliant that he doesn't need the give sens to his creativity.

On the other hand when I see so many of his fans loving blindly that movie, making them think, they are remarkably sensitive beings because they liked it, you can say that Mr Lynch is a genius.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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