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Inland Empire

Play trailer Poster for Inland Empire R 2006 2h 59m Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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72% Tomatometer 118 Reviews 75% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
Nikki (Laura Dern), an actress, takes on a role in a new film, and because her husband (Peter J. Lucas) is very jealous, her co-star Devon (Justin Theroux) gets a warning not to make any romantic overtures -- especially since the characters they play are having an affair. Both actors learn that the project is a remake of an unfinished film in which the stars were murdered.
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Inland Empire

Inland Empire

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Critics Consensus

Typical David Lynch fare: fans of the director will find Inland Empire seductive and deep. All others will consider the heady surrealism impenetrable and pointless.

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Critics Reviews

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Michael Atkinson Sight & Sound May 13, 2026
Inland Empire appears to be a film that exists for itself and for its maker, not necessarily for us Go to Full Review Richard Brody The New Yorker Apr 11, 2022
Quickly devolves into self-parody. Dern gives a virtuoso performance, albeit in an overwrought, numbing void. Go to Full Review Jim Emerson RogerEbert.com May 25, 2007
4/4
Inland Empire opens and contracts in your imagination while you watch it -- and you're still watching it well after it's left the screen. It's a long but thoroughly absorbing three hours. Go to Full Review Noah Berlatsky Everything is Horrible (Substack) Jan 23, 2025
The movie's studied, deliberate refusal to develop interesting characters, provide a plot, or to say anything gets old after three hours. Go to Full Review Joe Lipsett Anatomy of a Scream Podcast Network Nov 21, 2024
3/5
Lynch's last feature is confronting, ugly and surreal, but it's also deeply personal and feels like a full circle moment that brings him back to many of the techniques he used on his first film, Eraserhead. Go to Full Review Hector A. Gonzalez Loud and Clear Reviews Mar 24, 2024
4.5/5
A newly remastered version of David Lynch ’s most experimental and hallucinatory work, Inland Empire – a story about a “woman in trouble”. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Camden F Apr 28, 2025 I don't know what everyone's talking about, this is the most normal movie ever made See more Katy Apr 4, 2025 Lynch literally lost the plot. An endurance challenge, for sure. See more Brent Mar 30, 2025 Incredible film!!! So glad I waited to see this in theater! I mean & so many people think this film doesn’t make a lot of sense! Damn! Were they wrong David Lynch & Luara Dern are incredible! How she Didn’t even get an Oscar Nomination for this back in 2006…. I mean makes absolutely NO sense! See more Claude May 19, 2022 One of the most abstract things I've ever seen. Some remarks from a person who worked on the film: when interviewed at the Venice Film Festival, Laura Dern who is the star of the film admitted that she did not know what Inland Empire was about or the role she was playing, but hoped that seeing the film's premiere at the festival would help her "learn more". Dern also recounted a conversation she had with one of the movie's new producers, Jeremy Alter. He asked if director David Lynch was joking when he requested a one-legged woman, a monkey and a lumberjack by 3:15. By 4 p.m. they were shooting with the requested individuals. See more Vincent May 8, 2022 Very confusing but entertaining. A surreal experience See more Jacob B @RT48293763 Aug 27, 2026 I love David Lynch films. This one, however, comes across as almost a parody of a Lynch film. A blemish on an otherwise amazing filmography. See more Read all reviews
Inland Empire

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Cast & Crew

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David Lynch

Director

Laura Dern

Nikki

Jeremy Irons

Kingsley

Harry Dean Stanton

Freddie

Justin Theroux

Devon

Terryn Westbrook

Chelsi

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Inland Empire

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Movie Info

Synopsis Nikki (Laura Dern), an actress, takes on a role in a new film, and because her husband (Peter J. Lucas) is very jealous, her co-star Devon (Justin Theroux) gets a warning not to make any romantic overtures -- especially since the characters they play are having an affair. Both actors learn that the project is a remake of an unfinished film in which the stars were murdered.
Director
David Lynch
Producer
Mary Sweeney, David Lynch
Screenwriter
David Lynch
Distributor
Absurda
Production Co
Asymmetrical Productions, Camerimage 2, Inland Empire Productions
Rating
R (Some Violence|Sexuality/Nudity|Language)
Genre
Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 6, 2006, Limited
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Apr 8, 2022
Release Date (DVD)
Aug 14, 2007
Runtime
2h 59m
Sound Mix
Dolby Digital
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