Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page
Directed By: Christopher Nolan
Not everyone is going to like Inception. Not everyone likes Fight Club. Or Inglourious Basterds. Mainly because they went in expecting one thing and came out with something entirely different. And this is Inception in a nutshell. Slick, engaging, tense, yet maybe nothing at all like you expected.
Inception is a mind fuck. The screenplay by director Christopher Nolan, apparently decades in the making and originally a horror story, is constructed as his own personal maze in which to lose viewers. The meat of the film, the heist or ‘Inception’, incorporates several plots working concurrently towards a single narrative. Shooting at exotic locales such as Tokyo, Morocco and Fortress Mountain in Canada, and along with all the non-stop action, Nolan has likened his film to a James Bond movie. While this is true, it is also akin to a sci-fi version of Heat, or on a more rudimentary level Total Recall.
Some way into its spiralling web of story is Inception’s virtuoso sequence, featuring rising star Joseph Gordon-Levitt as point man Arthur – at least as impressive as emotive lead Leonardo DiCaprio, though as his antithesis; an internal, controlled character whose actions speak louder than words. DiCaprio, now mature enough to be a convincing adult lead, his facial features and hairstyle resembling a cross between Errol Flynn and director Nolan himself, plays screwed up corporate dream thief Cobb with a faultless level of intensity. Visible, yet restrained enough to respect the ensemble.
As Cobb’s most athletic team member undertaking the most physical action, Arthur clambers around a zero gravity dream world killing assailants with upside down martial arts while simultaneously figuring out a solution to the impending ‘limbo death’ ready to befall his colleagues, Cobb included, in precisely three minutes.
The juxtaposition between Gordon-Levitt’s formal costume of fitted three piece (minus jacket) and his character’s energetic on-screen ballet recalls Sean Connery’s OO7 dispatching henchmen in a Conduit Cut single-breasted suit without pulling so much as a shoulder seam. Arthur drifting along a hotel corridor, towing his dormant friends behind wrapped in electrical cord stands out as the kind of cool movie moment Nolan is fast becoming the master of (see also the Batpod up the wall in The Dark Knight). It is both awe-inspiring and ridiculous.
Carefully selected attire is an essential part of the world of Inception. Costume designer Jeffery Kurland (for he designed all the suits in the film) has utilised fabrics of varying weight and colour, plus a blending of classic and modernistic styles to establish setting and differentiate protagonists in slight, but distinguishable ways.
Note Michael Caine’s outfit of tweed jacket and Nehru collar shirt with popper buttons. As Miles, a university professor who may be vital, may be exposition, Caine’s costume subtly informs proceedings with a merging of old and new (likewise echoing his and Cobb’s relationship). It is not implicitly stated that Inception is set in the future, however Miles’ clothing is not quite ‘now’, although, paradoxically, it could be. In other words there is a suggestion that the story could take place in the near future, or even that Miles’ appearance is actually part of Cobb’s amalgamated dream state. Or more radically Miles could just be an older gentlemen who dresses a little kookily. Point being, there are no absolutes in Inception. And with this in mind don’t neglect to register what Cobb’s children are wearing either…
Even with a multi-layered narrative juggling several conscious (or unconscious, or subconscious, as the case may be) states and timeframes, the characters are easy to follow. Their clothing immediately discriminates in such a way that an individual’s primary personality trait is intoned without them having to say or do anything.
For example, the immensely watchable Tom Hardy as relaxed chameleon Eames in lounge lizard open-neck shirt with splayed collars. Or the game enthusiasm and quite alarming beauty of Ellen Page as Ariadne, arty and creative in a patterned silk neck scarf. Contrast with Gordon-Levitt in his immaculate 3 pc suit (later immaculate leather jacket), Cillian Murphy as businessman mark Robert Fischer Jr. always in a cutaway collar, or Marion Cotillard’s Mal, introduced in an angular silhouette as the wicked witch haunting Cobb’s mind. Although, interestingly, there are no real villains in this film, not literal ones anyway.
It should come as no surprise with a story fluctuating through volatile degrees of consciousness that Nolan drops hints to remind his audience it is okay to be disorientated – that this the point. Guy Dyas’ production design confirms the dream state with geometric shapes incorporated into bedspreads, wallpaper and sofas (not to mention neckties). Even the near constant score from Hans Zimmer is set to disorientate as much as stimulate.
Nolan has used his craft, moreover his craftspeople, to play his audience. Not in a clever-clever way, but in a Hitchcock way, i.e. ‘play’ is the optimum word. Inception is very silly movie that deliberately takes itself very seriously. Don’t fight; you will only get aggravated that it ‘doesn’t make sense’. Roll with the journey and trust that it will take you where you want to go.
Inception is released worldwide on 16h July.
© 2010, Chris Laverty.
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32 Comments
I love your top picture (and also the 3rd). It wasn’t clear to me right away, but both pictures are of Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Just confirms an impression that’s been building for a while: Gordon-Levitt is way waaaay cooler now, than di Caprio.
Go, Joseph!
I enjoyed your review… I’ve never read a movie review by any critic that delved so deep into the insightfullness of the costuming and how it relates to the overall story. Great job, made me want to see it more.
Love your review, although I feel that films dealing with perception/reality should have some deliberate absolutes. It’s arguably impossible to create a film without them, or at least would make for a pretentious and boring ‘maze’ not appropriate for an entertaining experience (which Inception was and film should be). Therefore, I was irritated to an anal degree that Ariadne’s suit costume in the ‘hotel’ level included a scarf remarkably similar to Saito’s scarf in the ‘limbo’ level where he has become an old man. And both were styled identically.
You raise some interesting points, Grace. I too want clarification regarding costume differentiation between the dream states. I had an interview set with Jeffrey Kurland but can’t seem to pin him down at the moment. I’ll keep trying though, and I’ll put your issue about Ariadne’s scarf to him too.
Do you happen to know who designed the suit worn by Cobb in the final airplane scene all the way through the end? Combined with the shirt and tie, it was very impressive power suit.
Thanks!
Costume designer Jeffrey Kurland designed all the suits in the film. I’m going to try like mad to get some costume answers, including specifics about the plane suit. GQ’s probably jumped the queue in front of me, but watch this space anyway.
I just discovered this site while searching for the answer to the very same question: What is the suit that Cobb is wearing while on the plane. I have favorited this site on my browser and have been checking everyday hoping for an answer, either way this seems like a very interesting site.
Thanks!
Well, the purpose of the site is more to look at how costume affects plot and character rather than just the brands of clothing, tailoring, etc. Though I try to find that out whenever I can because I know people are interested in it.
Thanks for bookmarking. I’ll hopefully have some Inception news for you all soon.
Chris
great review, loved the insight into the costumes.
i thought the film was extremely stylish. I loved the differing styles. Eames with his very old-british attire and arthur with his very fitted suits. I loved that wallet-chain on Eames, it was very classy yet hip, I wonder who was the maker?
I think what struck out to me was the amount of watches on display. Could you find out what watches the actors were sporting?
http://www.imdb.com/media/rm3737027328/ch0158128
eames looks best in that. Cant make out the watch unfortunately
Personally my favorite on the clothing would be what Eames was wearing in Mombasa. My buddy turned over to me and pointed out the shoes he was wearing, I would like to know the brand if anyone knows. Overall though, great costume design for the whole movie. Props to the designer.
I need to know where to find that wide-knotted purple paisley tie worn by Cillian Murphy’s Robert Fischer. It was really eye-catching.
Hey Grant – did you ever find out about the tie? I’m looking too…
If you find out anything further about the costuming for this film, I would love to know who makes the leather jacket worn by Joseph Gordon-Levitt. It looks like it could be made by Aero leather, but I’m not sure. Also, I’m with Dean, and I’ve love to know what watches the characters are wearing, especially DiCaprio’s and Gordon-Levitt’s.
By the way, just to help you out in case anyone’s interested, Gordon-Levitt’s boots are by John Varvatos, and they’re called the Spectator Boots. I’m 100% positive. They retail for $598.
Thanks for this info, Ben. I’m having a hard time getting access at the moment. Industry NDAs (non disclosure agreements) are killing me! I’ll keep trying though.
Ugh! to marianne… The third picture is not also of Joseph Gordon-Levitt. It’s the guy who played the Satio character. Get it right! humm Joseph Gordon-Levitt is so dreamy :’}
That’s Ken Watanabe, who arguably looks just as sharp in a 3 PC.
One more thing. The pants Leo wears with his leather jacket are from Belstaff, and they’re called the Voyager Pants. Belstaff sells them on their website, but not in the same color. A few random Japanese websites (which a simple Google search of “Belstaff Voyager Pants” will yield) carry them as well.
Just by the by, Jeffrey Kurland designed all the suits in the film Should DEFINITELY have more costume information for you soon…
The piece of clothing I really liked and wondered about was the grey/blue sweater/jacket/blazer worn several times by Dicaprio. In one scene, it appears to be a long shirt/jacket that may be a fine corduroy with pockets on bottom. In another scene it seems more sweater-y. Do you know anything about this piece of clothing.
Not sure about that piece specifically, but Jeffrey Kurland designed all the suits himself. Hopefully more details SOON.
Chris, if you’re still digging, there’s one more piece I’m looking for. It’s the brown trench coat/peacoat that JGL wears in the scene early in the movie when Saito asks he and DiCaprio to join him in the helicopter. I couldn’t get a good enough look at it to describe all the details, but it looks about knee-length or a little shorter, brown, double-breasted, possibly also trench coat but also possibly a long, cotton peacoat. Do you remember what I’m talking about?
I know Jeffrey designed all the suits himself, but not sure about that coat (which I do remember). I’ll ask him about it for you.
UPDATE: The raincoat, which is actually green, was designed by Jeffrey Kurland himself.
Great Movie review and extremely original wording linking the drama to the clothing. In that regard the scene at the runway when DiCaprio is wearing a navy blue coat with long collar is as amaizing as the jacket itself. Anyone knows who’s coat is it?
Thanks Alphonse. THIS should provide an answer to your question.
While at the snow scene, those jumper under the snow coat is eye catching (even just showing a little bit).
Love the film and like all the clothes so it’s great to find your work here…like this page and the one : Inception: Jeffrey Kurland Costume Q&A; love it!
Chris, would you happen to know where Jeffrey Kurland got the ties from? Specifically the ones worn by Cobb and Fischer in the dream scenes, as well as the one Cobb wears on the airplane? I know the suits and shirts were custom made but he says nothing about the ties. Thanks.
There is a brief mention of the ties HERE Jon. Going over my notes it appears that the ties were custom made too – I would assume all of them.
Chris, excellent Q&A. Great questions, and great article. That definitely cleared up quite a bit for me. One question that still remains unanswered for me though (unless I missed something, which I very well may have), is who designed the leather jackets. I know the suits and tailoring were made custom by order, but I imagine a custom made leather jacket would be somewhat of an unnecessary expenditure. Did Kurland specify where he got the leather jackets from (particularly JGL’s)? Also, I saw you mentioned that Kurland himself designed the green raincoat worn by JGL in an early sequence. Is this the same coat I’m thinking of when I mentioned the brown trench/topcoat JGL wore when meeting Saito at the helicopter?
Arthur’s green raincoat is what you thought to be the brown trenchcoat. As far as the leather jackets are concerned, I’m not sure. I’ll try to find out for you.
I’ve had a few points raised about the clothing in Inception not covered by the Q&A. I do not have a direct line to Jeffrey, but if there are enough worthwhile questions to ask I’ll get in contact again for a follow up interview. Keep posting them here and we’ll see what we can come up with.
Love the suit that Cobb was wearing on the airplane. So glad I found this site where people thought the same thing…hope to find the answer!
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