Inland Empire Movie Review

Inland Empire (2006)

Rent Inland Empire on Amazon Video (paid link)
Written by: David Lynch
Directed by:David Lynch
Starring: Laura Dern, Jeremy Irons, Justin Theroux, Harry Dean Stanton
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
An actress prepares for a role that could rejuvenate her career, but real life begins to imitate the movie character's trajectory. 

Verdict
Very few people are going to like this, and even fewer will make sense of it. Even the actors couldn't explain this movie and they were in it. The camera placement and extreme closeups make this feel voyeuristic, which I'm sure is intended. It's necessary to have seen some of Lynch's previous movies to help understand this one.
Skip it. 

Review
It's David Lynch, so it's going to be strange, just look at Mulholland Drive (2001) or Lost Highway (1997). As of 2016 it's the last feature film he's directed. This is an evolution from the previously mentioned movies. This is more confusing and elusive. It definitely should not be your first Lynch film. If you aren't familiar with Lynch films you may think this is a random collection of scenes and images, with no meaning.

Inland Empire - This is a common reaction to David Lynch movies.

This is more confusing than his previous films, and that's an achievement. Lynch films often feel like an experiment. What you see happening on screen is rarely what's really happening. Lynch often deals with identity and escapism. This is a further evolution of  those idea. It has less polish, it's more intimate, yet more confusing. The camera work and lighting is unflattering, looking more like a home movie than a commercial film.

An older actress wins a role she hopes will rejuvenate her career. We're often left wondering if we're seeing the plight of this character or the plight of her character in the movie Inland Empire features.

There's a dream like sequence and plenty of metaphors. You're never really sure if it's the movie in the movie, the reality in the movie, or some kind of dream. Real is never real.

There are many fan theories that attempt to explain this movie. Read a few and pick the one you like best. You could interpret this in a multitude of ways.