Inland Empire

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Inland Empire

R

Released Dec 6, 2006

2h 59m

Mystery & Thriller

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Popcornmeter

72%

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115 Reviews

75%

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25,000+ Ratings

Nikki (Laura Dern), an actress, takes on a role in a new film, and because her husband (Peter J. Lucas) is very jealous, her co-star Devon (Justin Theroux) gets a warning not to make any romantic overtures -- especially since the characters they play are having an affair. Both actors learn that the project is a remake of an unfinished film in which the stars were murdered.

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Critics Consensus

Typical David Lynch fare: fans of the director will find Inland Empire seductive and deep. All others will consider the heady surrealism impenetrable and pointless.

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Richard Brody

New Yorker

Quickly devolves into self-parody. Dern gives a virtuoso performance, albeit in an overwrought, numbing void.

Apr 11, 2022

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Ben Kenigsberg

Time Out

Rated: 5/5

Nov 17, 2011

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Jim Emerson

RogerEbert.com

Inland Empire opens and contracts in your imagination while you watch it -- and you're still watching it well after it's left the screen. It's a long but thoroughly absorbing three hours.

Rated: 4/4

May 25, 2007

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Hector A. Gonzalez

Loud and Clear Reviews

A newly remastered version of David Lynch ’s most experimental and hallucinatory work, Inland Empire – a story about a “woman in trouble”.

Rated: 4.5/5

Mar 24, 2024

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May Leitz

Nyx Fears

Lynch's movie asks us to interpret it as if it were a dream, instead of looking at them through a literal lens.

Oct 5, 2023

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Michael Barrett

PopMatters

Now that we’re awash in time loops and other realities, filmgoers are primed for three hours of David Lynch’s reality and identity-questioning film, Inland Empire.

Aug 7, 2023

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Claude

One of the most abstract things I've ever seen. Some remarks from a person who worked on the film: when interviewed at the Venice Film Festival, Laura Dern who is the star of the film admitted that she did not know what Inland Empire was about or the role she was playing, but hoped that seeing the film's premiere at the festival would help her "learn more". Dern also recounted a conversation she had with one of the movie's new producers, Jeremy Alter. He asked if director David Lynch was joking when he requested a one-legged woman, a monkey and a lumberjack by 3:15. By 4 p.m. they were shooting with the requested individuals.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/19/22

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Vincent

Very confusing but entertaining. A surreal experience

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

05/08/22

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Eric B

This a insane work of art from David Lynch. Definitely a masterpiece. Highly recommended.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/02/24

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Mason M

David Lynch's Inland Empire might be my favorite film of all time. It's a shocking film, coated in layers of lying and deceit, often directed at the audience. It would be an impossible task to fully decode the meaning of every scene, but the film's is that it makes you decide it. The way it's put together makes you come to your own understanding of what it means, I've looked at hundreds of theories about Inland Empire and no two are alike. The only way to fully enjoy it is to just give in to to the movie, don't try to understand it on first watch. A very difficult watch in almost every way, but it's worth it, due to one of the most satisfying endings ever. This is a film that stays with you, long after the 180th minute.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/07/24

Full Review

Leo P

This is the last movie the director genius David Lynch will ever make.So,from the dreamworld back to real world.The real world is the Barbie world.David Lynch could've made a blockbuster like Barbie too,but he preferred not to make any movies at all.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/16/24

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Christopher R

David Lynch's underrated Magnum Opus. Mind-bending, ego-shattering, and breathtaking in ambition - this is Lynch at his finest, my favourite from his filmography.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/30/24

Full Review

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David Lynch

Director

Laura Dern

Nikki

Jeremy Irons

Kingsley

Harry Dean Stanton

Freddie

Justin Theroux

Devon

Terryn Westbrook

Chelsi

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Synopsis

Nikki (Laura Dern), an actress, takes on a role in a new film, and because her husband (Peter J. Lucas) is very jealous, her co-star Devon (Justin Theroux) gets a warning not to make any romantic overtures -- especially since the characters they play are having an affair. Both actors learn that the project is a remake of an unfinished film in which the stars were murdered.

Director: David Lynch
Producer: Mary Sweeney, David Lynch
Screenwriter: David Lynch
Distributor: Absurda
Production Co: Asymmetrical Productions, Camerimage 2, Inland Empire Productions
Rating: R (Some Violence|Sexuality/Nudity|Language)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 6, 2006, Limited
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Apr 8, 2022
Release Date (DVD): Aug 14, 2007
Runtime: 2h 59m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital

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