Inland Empire

518 Media | Release Date: December 6, 2006

7.4	USER SCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 169 Ratings

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User Reviews

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VenlkatRJul 21, 2008

I thoroughly appreciate the fact that Lynch has experimented with this film in a way he hasn't done with any other. However, it is extremely private and the viewer is lucky to understand anything (if at all). Lynch admitted to having no I thoroughly appreciate the fact that Lynch has experimented with this film in a way he hasn't done with any other. However, it is extremely private and the viewer is lucky to understand anything (if at all). Lynch admitted to having no script and instead handing over to each actor several pages of dialogue each day. Ultimately, the movies spirals down into an endless abyss of meaninglessness, and drowns in self-preservation. Work of art:yes, avant-garde:yes; but unless you are a hardcore Lynch fan , or love abstract art this movie is definitely not worth a watch. You will be left alienated, and would have rather spent them staring at a blank wall.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful

PaxsterOct 6, 2010

Inland Empire is not a bad film and has some great imagery but it is almost as if Lynch is taking the piss out of himself with virtually no story lines and endless amounts of critical interpretation and chatter. Where are the moments ofInland Empire is not a bad film and has some great imagery but it is almost as if Lynch is taking the piss out of himself with virtually no story lines and endless amounts of critical interpretation and chatter. Where are the moments of realism like Mulholland Drive? No story, great imagery, average acting. It can only be a 5.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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J-ShapAug 25, 2011

I will put it as simply as it has to be: If you like David Lynch movies, you will like Inland Empire. If you don't like David Lynch movies, you will hate Inland Empire. It is not Lynch's best. It is not Lynch's worst. It is simply hisI will put it as simply as it has to be: If you like David Lynch movies, you will like Inland Empire. If you don't like David Lynch movies, you will hate Inland Empire. It is not Lynch's best. It is not Lynch's worst. It is simply his "Lynchiest." If you want to know what the directorial style of David Lynch is, as well as the most extreme boundaries to what a film can really be, watch Inland Empire and it will answer all your questions.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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BlancoA.Dec 6, 2006

I consider myself a HUGE Lynch fan, with the Twin Peaks film/series, Mulholland Drive, and Wild at Heart being among my faves of all time. I'm sorry to say that Inland Empire, while visually and aurally stunning, is just wholly I consider myself a HUGE Lynch fan, with the Twin Peaks film/series, Mulholland Drive, and Wild at Heart being among my faves of all time. I'm sorry to say that Inland Empire, while visually and aurally stunning, is just wholly unacceptable. At the LA Film Festival, none of the actors involved could explain to the audience what actually happens in the film. Lynch himself explained that he filmed a single scene with no story in mind, a couple of weeks later, he filmed another scene - completely unrelated to the first. Eventually, after following this organic process, a film developed out of this tapestry and Inland Empire was the result. I'm paraphrasing here, of course, but at about 3 hours, sitting through this sucker was BRUTAL. And it pains me to say so. Laura Dern is amazing in this film. Ideas here and there are provocative. But as a whole, it's unacceptable. Non-linear? Yeah. If nobody involved with the film can tell you what the film is about or what happens in the film, you've got problems. One day, I wish Lynch would go back to telling stories, where at least 80% of the film is comprehensible and maybe 20% is "Lynchian" or odd - a la the Black Lodge in Twin Peaks, etc. But this one is about 10% comprehensible, and the rest is just nice to look at and listen to. Please, David, come back to us... I can see you in there, but you're too far away at the moment.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

TracyRFeb 10, 2007

Sure he's brilliant and even his crap is a lot better than many people's finest efforts. Some incredibly compelling scenes, totally exquisite at moments, but just not enough effort to frigging communicate and leaves the audience to Sure he's brilliant and even his crap is a lot better than many people's finest efforts. Some incredibly compelling scenes, totally exquisite at moments, but just not enough effort to frigging communicate and leaves the audience to do too much of the work. That's what the director is for and all the gee whiz visual effects don't cover it up. Maddening in a way, because he has proven what a terrific albeit non-narrative story teller he can be when he wants to be. But this one, however intermittenly entertaining, doesn't offer enough to justify the effort of watching it.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

PeterE.Oct 6, 2007

The point isn't whether David Lynch is an artistic genius. Who can say? This is why I give the film a middling 5. The point is that this film was falsely advertised. To label it as "Drama", as it was at my cinema and also on this The point isn't whether David Lynch is an artistic genius. Who can say? This is why I give the film a middling 5. The point is that this film was falsely advertised. To label it as "Drama", as it was at my cinema and also on this website (Mystery/Drama) is simply an incorrect classification. "Experimental" or "Avant garde" is proper. This way, people who fork over the money to see the film know what they are getting. So many of the user reviews (mine being one) are because we had the wrong expectation before seeing the film. Like Twin Peaks and Lynch's last several movies, I thought this one would have some semblance of plot and at least identifiable story characters--these are fundamental features of the "drama" genre (and most others, for that matter). This film had neither. It's fine for critics to tell people they should sit back and just "experience" the potpourri of visuals and weird emotions this movie provides, but that's hardly what most viewers expect to do when they pick out a movie to go see which is classified as "Drama." This is deception on the part of producers and distributors, which I suspect is rooted in greed, wanting to suck a wider audience than appropriate into the theatres. That was shortsighted on their part. This film should have been titled: Inland Empire: an Experimental Film by David Lynch. The user reviews would have been much higher and everyone would be a lot happier who chose to spend the money to see it.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

ladosDec 25, 2007

David Lynch, you have been filming the trashing, brutalising, sexualising, of the feminine for a very long time. Men came from Eastern Europe with that reality and made Hollywood. They brought the degradation of the feminine with them and it David Lynch, you have been filming the trashing, brutalising, sexualising, of the feminine for a very long time. Men came from Eastern Europe with that reality and made Hollywood. They brought the degradation of the feminine with them and it continues. You are now in a destructive loop with it. Instead of obfuscating, name the thing and stand up for it. But you can't name it or they will rape you and crucify you. Read your feminist literature and take a stand, David, before its too late. Too late for you. It would be sad to see a feminist man go down. We need your sensibility but not your obfuscation of the truth.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

NShep53Jun 2, 2015

Wow. I love a good amount of David Lynch's work. I LOVE Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive. I liked Lost Highway and Dune. But I cannot recommend Inland Empire. The exercise feels pointless and at the end, you will wonder why youWow. I love a good amount of David Lynch's work. I LOVE Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive. I liked Lost Highway and Dune. But I cannot recommend Inland Empire. The exercise feels pointless and at the end, you will wonder why you wasted your time watching it.

Okay maybe I'm being a little too harsh. The movie is creepy, I will give it that. Also, it is intriguing enough the whole way for you to wonder what actually is happening/going to happen. But the payoff in null (and I don't mean null as in not explained, David Lynch never outright explains anything).

From an acting perspective, Laura Dern is great in other movies and she is great here. Justin Theroux is cool as usual, but he severely underutilized, which is unfortunate to say the least. All other acting in the movie is fine.

If you need a creepy fix and/or like David Lynch, maybe watch this. I personally wouldn't recommend it. But I can see someone liking so, figure it out yourself! (Good Luck)… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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amheretojudgeJun 14, 2018

an empire that builds itself up only to collapse..

Inland Empire The depiction of the tale in here is more convoluted than the script, along with an eerie camera work which has always been the maker's window of luring the audience into itsan empire that builds itself up only to collapse..

Inland Empire

The depiction of the tale in here is more convoluted than the script, along with an eerie camera work which has always been the maker's window of luring the audience into its dark fictionalized world that actually resembles a lot to the practicality of it. It is rich on technical aspects like sound department, production design and its finely edited product that is perfectly cooked and served to the audience. The writer takes too much time to make its point in here which makes sense and feasible in here considering the outcome it provides the audience as they find themselves getting lost into the projected world very quickly. David Lynch is no short in execution as always and is supported well by an amazing cinematography that may be inedible for some viewers but surely is though-provoking and ground breaking. Laura Dern easily carries off the whole feature without breaking a sweat which proves her majestic acting skills and is supported decently by Jeremy Irons and Justin Theroux if not accurately apt for it. Inland Empire is an empire that builds itself up only to collapse on terms of its self-created restrained imaginative bubble that actually could have had wider range than was provided.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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