"A Woman in Trouble". That's the tagline for Inland Empire, and all writer/director David Lynch would say about the movie during production. Lynch is famous for saying little about his bizarrely complex creations. He feels viewers should be left alone to figure it out for themselves. Boy, do we have our work cut out for us here.
To say what this movie is "about" would be to mislead. This movie can be experienced on many levels; the one to start with is the raw, emotional one.
Art exists, at least in part, to communicate emotions that can't be articulated. The images and raw power of this film communicate something deep that goes beyond words. It's often terrifying, but always moving.
Music, as always, is important. Rather than rely on longtime collaborator Angelo Badalamenti, Lynch instead chooses music from Polish composer Krzysztov Penderecki (many scenes take place in Poland, with Polish actors, speaking Polish). The soundtrack is rounded out by Lynch's typically impeccable popular choices.
The story, such as it is, focusses on Nikki Grace, an actress playing the part of Sue Blue in director Kingsley's (Jeremy Irons) new movie. Justin Theroux plays co-lead Devon, who in turn plays Billy. The line between character and actor, fact and fiction blurs, and Nikki/Sue is in for a ride, along with the audience.
David Lynch has always dealt in the surreal, and this film is the epitome (so far) of his exploration of this aesthetic. The most blatant example is a "sitcom" involving people wearing rabbit heads and speaking in non-sequiters (former Lynch collaborators Laura Harring and Naomi Watts , along with Scott Coffey provide voices).
What else can be said? This movie exists on so many levels simultaneously, reflected in the characters' experience of multiple times at once, the blurring of actor and character, almost Joycean in its multiple levels and profound character representations. This is a film to be experienced, not watched, and multilple times.
And what of Laura Dern (the "Woman in Trouble")? A talented actor throughout her career, this is her tour de force. If she does not get an Oscar nomination for this role, it will be a crime. Utterly brilliant, a perfect creation of conceiver (Lynch), and performer (Dern).
This movie is probably not for everyone. There are many disturbing elements, and let's face it; three hours of wondering what the heck is going on may not be everyone's idea of a good time. But for those who take the plunge, a unique and rewarding experience awaits.
Still not convinced? Check out my man Roger Ebert. Keep in mind, he hasn't always been a Lynch fan.
1 comment:
I'm going to have to watch that a second time before I can even decide if there is an actual "story." I think I mentioned to you before, it seemed like one long, bizarre dream sequence to me. Until I see it a couple more times, I doubt I'll have anything else to say about it.
It may be that Lynch has graduated from telling stories to just wanting the audience to feel emotions. And he's good at that.
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