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Inheritance, or How Not to Make a Movie
Aug. 3rd, 2024 09:23 amNetflix's algorithm is pushing the 2020 film Inheritance on people. Last night, it was in the top 10. I recommend skipping it, as it violates two major principles of storytelling, namely, it's an idiot plot and it breaks Chekhov's gun principle. Herewith, non-spoilery explanations of both failures.
Idiot Plot: An idiot plot is one in which the plot only works if the characters are idiots. In this movie, there are two violations. First, there's a paragraph of dialog which was withheld for no reason except convenience of the screenwriters. Second one character did something at significant personal effort for decades when he could have easily done something else, again, solely for the screenwriter's convenience.
Chekhov's gun: Named after a Russian playwright, the principle is that if you show a gun on the wall in Act 1, it needs to be fired in Act 3. Here we have a reverse failure - there's a reveal in Act 3 that should have been hinted at in Act 1.
In short, fight the algorithm and skip "Inheritance." You'll thank me later.
Idiot Plot: An idiot plot is one in which the plot only works if the characters are idiots. In this movie, there are two violations. First, there's a paragraph of dialog which was withheld for no reason except convenience of the screenwriters. Second one character did something at significant personal effort for decades when he could have easily done something else, again, solely for the screenwriter's convenience.
Chekhov's gun: Named after a Russian playwright, the principle is that if you show a gun on the wall in Act 1, it needs to be fired in Act 3. Here we have a reverse failure - there's a reveal in Act 3 that should have been hinted at in Act 1.
In short, fight the algorithm and skip "Inheritance." You'll thank me later.
