INLAND EMPIRE Pt.1

I was going to write a review today of bonkers David Lynch/Laura Dern three hour brainmelt mashup fest INLAND EMPIRE, but I am not sure I know how to do it (see the sidebar for my attempt at an appropriate rating).

But! I will not admit defeat, my friends. I intend to watch it again, and with others, to discuss it a bit further.

Let me be honest. I really liked it. That being said, it is impossible to slap an out of ten rating on something that subverts every single rule of filmmaking - the plot is indistinguishable from the lighting, the scenery seems cheaper, and yet more real, than any film I have seen for a long time.

Lynch refuses to even be bound by keeping the same characters for each actress, so in my interpretation we have Dern in a scene with herself as a different character, as well as her being the actress playing that character and AT THE SAME TIME, have a completely diffeent actress playing the same character IN THE SAME ROOM while a bunch of other actresses lounge about representing parts of the actress (or the character's) psyche!

So I'll persevere, and even on one viewing I can say I am utterly in awe of just how many rules Lynch has ignored, even those I had no idea existed until they weren't being followed any more.

It's more of an "experience" than a story, and should really be approached as such - its not even as if it represents a broken timeline, because its as if the plot was crumpled together like a draft piece of sheet music, and then the director conducted, and the actors played, what notes were left visible. Amazing work.

I'll be a bit more balanced and explanatory when I have watched it again. Simple fact is that it is utterly unique, even amongst Lynch's output and a wonderful, occasionally terrifying, annoying, frustrating, pretentious bit of nonsense.

In case you hadn't guessed, I am yet to reach a final decision.

Have you seen it and had a more binary response?

A