The Girl of My Dreams
Inception
Review by Ross Anthony

You know that eerie change in state from sleep to wake you experience every morning? Inception's intro shot does a great job invoking it while washing you up on the shorelines of its dreamy story. Too soon, however, the filmmaking becomes rather mechanical, tossing around its take on the dream world v. reality, but offering up no emotional connection. Since we neither know, nor care about these characters, the bang-bang shoot-shoot feels uninspired, making the dream premise a lame excuse for action.

(Though it could have easily been a detail forgotten by the dream architect, Japanese wood castles were built purposely with creaky floorboards to alert guards of intruders.)

Fortunately, the "B- movie feel" lasts only about 20 minutes. A tolerable amount of exposition (broken up and distributed among the players) brings the audience up to speed on dream-treading rules. Better still, we get a glimpse into DiCaprio's personality issues. These traits make him compellingly mysterious, and us sincerely curious. That curiosity is rewarded with more emotional information as the tale spins. Before we know it, we've been reeled into a dream within a dream. It's a world where the main character isn't sure what's real and what's not. (Kudos to Nolan for writing in the "todem." It provides a brilliant tangible handle to a heady story.)

The film offers action, drama, intellectual challenge, and surreal special effects. All deliver, albeit hit & miss (mostly hit). Because the last action scenario (arctic terrain) misses (reminding us of the earlier B- quality of the picture), some might leave the theatre completely unimpressed with the action. That wouldn't be fair. The van-roll-hotel-hallway scene is a thing of visual and visceral beauty. It builds with confidence, and stirs tension and unbalance. Upon its completion, you'll want to stand up and applaud.

On the whole, I enjoyed this picture. But, the imperfections hold its grade to a strong B+. Btw, as a guy who's written a trilogy also based on a character who has problems telling reality from dream, I've got some opinions regarding this film's intent and ending, but I'll keep my mouth shut as not to spoil. If you're curious of my thoughts, write in and ask.

-- Books by Author/Illustrator Ross Anthony --


  • Inception. Copyright © 2010.
  • Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Ken Watanabe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Tom Berenger, Michael Caine. Written & Directed by Christopher Nolan. Warner Bros. Pictures.

Grade..........................B+ (2.5/4)


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Copyright © 1998-2023 Ross Anthony, Author - Speaker - Solo World Circumnavigator In addition to reviewing films and interviewing celebs at HollywoodReportCard.com, traveling the world, composing great music, motivational speaking, Mr. Anthony also runs his own publishing company in the Los Angeles area. While traversing the circumference of the planet writing books and shooting documentaries, Mr. Anthony has taught, presented for, worked &/or played with locals in over 30 countries & 100 cities (Nairobi to Nagasaki). He's bungee-jumped from a bridge near Victoria Falls, wrestled with lions in Zimbabwe, crashed a Vespa off a high mountain road in Taiwan, and ridden a dirt bike across the States (Washington State to Washington DC). To get signed books ("Rodney Appleseed" to "Jinshirou") or schedule Ross to speak check out: www.RossAnthony.com or call 1-800-767-7186. Go into the world and inspire the people you meet with your love, kindness, and whatever it is you're really good at. Check out books by Ross Anthony. Rand() functions, Pho chicken soup, rollerblading, and frozen yogurt (w/ blueberries) also rock! (Btw, rand is short for random. It can also stand for "Really Awkward Nutty Dinosaurs" -- which is quite rand, isn't it?) Being alive is the miracle. Special thanks to Ken Kocanda, HAL, Jodie Keszek, Don Haderlein, Mom and Pops, my family, R. Foss, and many others by Ross Anthony. Galati-FE also deserves a shout out. And thanks to all of you for your interest and optimism. Enjoy great films, read stirring novels, grow.


Last Modified: Thursday, 15-Jul-2010 21:43:02 PDT