Movie Review: Inception

Sweet dreams, readers! And no, I am not saying goodbye, I am saying hello...or am I?! Okay, well, my mind games are not nearly as captivating or challenging as the ones in the movie I just saw, Inception. Inception is a psychological thriller (my favorite kind of thriller!) about Cobb (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) who is able to enter peoples' dreams and essentially steal information that in a conscious state these people would be unwilling to relay. Without giving away too much, his quest becomes to implant an idea in a corporate heir-to-be's head--inception. Much like Leo's last movie, Shutter Island, what makes this movie a psychological thriller is that the audience is never sure if they can believe what they see.

DiCaprio is supported by an outstanding cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, and Marion Cotillard to name a few. This movie could have easily been overacted, but then that would be underestimating the talents of the aforementioned cast and their notable director, Christopher Nolan. Christopher Nolan is best known for directing movies like The Prestige, Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. Nolan magnificently guides the twists and turns of this movie so that not one detail is forgotten. Although this viewer is not going to lie and will admit that there were many times when I was left asking "Huh?!", these questions were not due to the plot, directing, etcetera; the story was smart and thus, sometimes, my mental capabilities were not up to the challenge! Additionally, Inception requires your full attention for nearly two and half hours so that is something you should mentally prepare for. With all of that said, this viewer could benefit from multiple viewings of this movie.

Aside from the running time which could throw some people, this is also a film that is more about the action and the mind games rather than the romance. Although portions of this film definitely tug at the heartstrings, this movie tugs much more on those of the mind. As I read in Entertainment Weekly's Lisa Schwarzbaum's review of Inception, there was an imbalance between engaging the mind and the heart, but because of how good Inception is at engaging the mind, it's hard to care about the heart!
(NOTE: to read Schwarzbaum's full review, click HERE)

I am a biased audience: I have been a fan of Leonardo DiCaprio ever since I saw re-runs of Growing Pains when I was little. However, I think once again DiCaprio has proved himself as a versatile, complex and top-notch actor. Inception is a movie I would go to multiple times because it was entertaining and because each time would reveal something new! If you are a lover of psychological thrillers,DiCaprio, Nolan or some other person involved in this project, or if you simply love GOOD movies, Inception is a must.

You can wake up now!
Erin