Mere days after its Australian theatrical release, Christopher Nolan’s mind-bending dream drama Inception has emerged as one of the most polarising Hollywood movies since James Cameron’s Avatar, with viewers generally falling into three camps (the lovers and the haters), with a few rogue critics (let’s call them the in-betweeners) sitting objectively in the middle. For the record, I’m with the lovers – despite slight imperfections (and so few films are perfect), I found Inception to be an original, entertaining and thought-provoking big budget action drama with sci-fi leanings (it is directed by the helmer of the last two mega-blockbuster Batman films after all, so action and drama were bound to take precedence over science fiction) that delivered on almost all fronts. That said, I can also see the other side, and can understand why this film is not admired by all. In that spirit, let’s take a look at five positive observations of the film that’s shaping up to be the biggest of 2010 thus far – and as one not-so-positive, as well.
Five positives…
The debate: Film should incite debate. It should elicit passionate responses from learned film scholars and the popular masses alike. It should cause disagreement, prompt online rants, and inspire lengthy conversations over a drink or two. Inception does all of these things. From the critics who couldn’t stand it (Salon’s Andrew O’Hehir and The New York Observer’s Rex Reed are two rather extreme examples), the ones who adored it (Roger Ebert, David Stratton and Margaret Pomeranz, and almost everyone else, as demonstrated by Rotten Tomatoes’ review aggregator), and the few in the middle (such as A.O. Scott of The New York Times and DVD Bits’ own Richard Gray), the one thing everyone can agree on is that the film is worth talking about, with the discourse trickling down to watercoolers everywhere (a complete stranger approached me this morning and asked if I had seen it – I’m not sure if this is a normal occurrence for most people, however it was a new event for me!).
Joseph Gordon-Levitt: Yes, he first came to fame as Tommy, the older alien stuck in a teen body in zany 1990s sitcom Third Rock From The Sun, but mark my words, this is an actor bound for bigger and better things. Developing from an ensemble player to a brilliant performer in his own right, roles in Mysterious Skin, Brick, The Lookout, Stop Loss and (500) Days Of Summer (and the currently unreleased Hesher, recipient of much hype at Sundance 2010) have demonstrated depth and adaptability beyond his years, across several genres in both Hollywood and indie films. With an uncanny ability to pick smart and challenging parts, Joseph Gordon-Levitt is one of the greats of his generation, and his nuanced deadpan performance playing second fiddle sidekick Arthur to Leonardo DiCaprio’s Dom in Inception only serves to confirm his talent.
The entire male supporting cast: First things first – although Oscar winner Marion Cotillard (La Vie En Rose) and Oscar nominee Ellen Page (Juno) are great actresses, neither were at their best in Inception. With that out of the way, kudos must go to Nolan for assembling a cast of supporting male actors that can only be described as top notch. From regular Nolan players Cillian Murphy, Ken Watanabe and Michael Caine (all co-stars in Batman Begins) to first-timers Tom Hardy, Dileep Rao, Lukas Haas, Pete Postlethwaite and Tom Berenger (yes, that’s right, Tom Berenger), each matched their role with flair – even if their skills were under-utilised. Bronson star Hardy reiterates his claims as a star in the making, Murphy conveys a delicate balance of ambition and disillusionment, Watanabe continues to impress in each part he plays, and Caine nails what equates to little more than a walk-on role. The dream cast of many directors and film fans alike, seeing this collection of actors together on screen is one of the undisputed highlights of the film, and worth the price of admission alone.
Duality: In each of his five major releases before Inception, Nolan demonstrated an intriguing obsession with the duality inherent in each of us – be it in terms of memory, psyche or identity. Memento‘s Leonard (Guy Pearce), Insomnia‘s Will Dormer (Al Pacino), The Prestige‘s Alfred Borden (Christian Bale), and of course, Bruce Wayne / Batman (Bale again), each struggled with perceived and actual dual and duelling forces within them, and the consequences on themselves and others of fractured personalities. Similarly, Inception revisits this theme, expanding it into the world of dreamscapes in a manner never before seen in his work. To provide any further details would be to provide too much detail, however Nolan’s dedication to this topic across his body of work is interesting and intriguing, and due to be seen again, no doubt, in the as yet unnamed third Batman feature.
Breaking cycles: With no disrespect intended, it is refreshing to see both DiCaprio and Nolan working without their regular collaborators – the great auteur Martin Scorsese, and quintessential Bruce Wayne, the above-mentioned Bale. With four projects under their belt in a fruitful partnership, it was widely commented by critics that Scorsese and DiCaprio could both benefit from time apart after the lukewarm reception of Shutter Island. Similarly, after Batman Begins, The Prestige and The Dark Knight, and with the next caped crusader installment in pre-production, Nolan and Bale both showed signs of needing time out to refresh without the other (it may be an unpopular view, but The Dark Knight was not their best work). Allowing Bale the time to return to his roots (projects with David O. Russell and Terence Malick are up next, more in the vein of The Machinist and Rescue Dawn), Nolan himself gained a much needed creative break by assembling a cast of actors mostly new to his work (as did DiCaprio in stepping away from Scorsese, with a starring role in Clint Eastwood’s Hoover set to extend the sabbatical).
And the one not-so-positive…
Leo’s wife woes: As an actor noted for taking on meaty roles, it is disappointing to see such a thematic overlap in DiCaprio’s last three parts (Revolutionary Road, Shutter Island, Inception). Yes, each has provided him the opportunity to work with different directors (Sam Mendes, Scorsese, Nolan), different actresses (Kate Winslet, Michelle Williams, Cotillard), and different stories, yet one distinct commonality remains – the troubled wife. Bordering on predictable or even pedestrian, the inclusion of the sorrowful spouses has certainly afforded DiCaprio scope to flex his acting chops and hone in on the inner emotion of each character. Yet, seen collectively, three such wives in three consecutive films adds up to a little deja vu, a little boredom, and a little less respect for DiCaprio’s otherwise excellent career choices. Thankfully his turn as F.B.I. chief J. Edgar Hoover looms as a trend-breaker, with the purported cross-dresser’s private life sure to provide more unique relationship problems.
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Tags: action, blockbuster, drama, films, inception, movies, sci-fi
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