L'Héritage

I just finished watching this. It was fine. It wasn't good or bad.

It's a movie that you finish on Netflix and don't really want to give it a thumbs up or thumbs down. It was just mediocre.

There were some cute moments, but it was never really funny.

There was a mystery kind of, but it was very badly done. There were no clues or set up so when you find out what happened in the end you just kind of shrug. Which was disappointing.

It was supposed to be a mystery comedy, and it's not funny and the mystery was lackluster, so all in all it wasn't a good movie.

The characters were likeable enough and the games were cute, but nothing was good enough to make you care about anything that happened.

"Inheritance," directed by Sylwester Jakimow and now streaming on Netflix, attempts to blend the intrigue of a murder mystery with the quirks of a dark family comedy. Despite its ambitious premise, the film falls short in delivering a compelling narrative. The story revolves around the eccentric Fortuna family, who gather at their wealthy uncle Wladyslaw's mansion for the reading of his will, only to discover he has faked his death to bring them together. The real chaos begins when Wladyslaw is actually murdered, setting off a whodunnit mystery.

While "Inheritance" shows potential with its initial setup and ensemble cast, it quickly becomes mired in predictability. The film adheres closely to the standard tropes of the genre without offering any fresh twists or surprises. The characters, though quirky, lack depth, making it difficult for the audience to invest in their individual stories or the overarching plot. The humor, which shifts from dry to slapstick, is uneven and often falls flat.

The film's execution fails to capitalize on its unique elements, such as the game show-themed tasks designed by Wladyslaw to promote family bonding. Instead of adding layers to the narrative, these elements feel like missed opportunities, contributing little to character development or plot progression. The investigation into the murder, which should be the film's focal point, is lackluster and secondary to the forced comedic moments and repetitive emphasis on family reconciliation.

Despite some positive aspects, such as the strong set design and occasional humorous scenes, "Inheritance" ultimately does not deliver a satisfying experience. Its predictable storyline and lack of character depth result in a film that is more tedious than engaging. For these reasons, "Inheritance" earns a score of 4 out 10.

This movie gets a bad wrap but I actually enjoyed it quite a lot. I thought it was very creative, and innovative to combine mystery with comedy, and I laughed at the absurd of every situation. I like the exaggerated style of the characters. The plot is quite unpredictable, and that's precisely why it makes it so interesting for me. I also like the message the uncle was trying to teach the family, of the importance of family union rather than money. It is fun if you want to watch something light hearted, where you don't feel you are losing neurons while you watch it (what happens with some more famous American comedies). I had a good time.

Plot

After the death of eccentric inventor Jan Peszek, a family gathers to inherit his fortune. Unexpectedly, he prepares a last game to test their reconciliation and teamwork.

Cast

Not familiar with anyone involved however Joanna Trzepiecinska was great here.

Verdict

I'm not sure how I got around to watching this, it was my pick for movie night and I was rather tired and eager to get started.

Immediately I saw charm, everything looked fantastic and the house that this is set in? Magnificent. It came across quirky, goofy (In a good way) and I was curious where it was going to go.

Well let's be clear this is a family film and certainly not a competent murder mystery. It's hard to pigeon hole, but if forced I'd simply say it's a comedy but simply not a very funny one.

The characters are mostly annoying, the quirkiness only goes so far and the payoff is so lackluster it's hard to forgive and that's assuming you can get over how silly the entire premise is anyway.

Inheritance is a harmless watch, but expect it to slip your mind in mere moments never to return.

Rants

The best thing to come out of this is I at least got another film added to my Top 10 Polish movies list, because at time of writing I still only have 4! It also broke my Top 10 2024 movies list as well, but considering how bad this year has been thus far it's really not surprising!

The Good

Certainly has a charm Joanna Trzepiecinska That house! Want, need, desire

The Bad

It's all rather silly Characters are annoying and un-engaging for the most part Flat finale.

This film is truly awful, I've seen better acting from sock puppets, it manages some unique it combines comedy/drama/escape rooms and never hits the target in any of these genres. It is quite possibly one of the worst films I have ever seen.

It must have been written by someone living in a cave who has never seen either a comedy or any other decent films and who hasn't spoken to a human since before lockdown.

I have seldom seen a film that I can't find a single positive word to say about it, I pray they never, ever make a sequel, don't watch this film it isn't even so bad it's funny it's just awful from start to finish and it gets worse.