Spoilers could go for a steak.

I have a confession to make. It’s been a while since I have fully enjoyed watching a film in the past month. Then this movie shows up and for the first time in a while I was entertained from beginning to end. Now, it’s not anything original or that you can’t see coming. You might consider me overrating it, but it broke me out of the-bad-film-after-bad-film rut I was in. Consider it recommended from the start, but at the same time it’s not a breakthrough. Let’s dig in.

(Credit: Shudder)

Inheritance (2020) is directed by Vaughn Stein and written by Matthew Kennedy. District attorney Lauren Monroe (Lily Collins) is the youngest daughter of wealthy family patriarch Archer Monroe (Patrick Warburton) who has suddenly passed away. With a very important case in her hands and her older brother William (Chace Crawford) running a campaign for office, Lauren finds herself having to deal with old family issues as the will is read and she receives a relative small part of the inheritance (a million bucks is only taken as an insult in movies). The surprise comes later when she’s given a secret inheritance with a key and a video clue to a location of her father’s dirtiest secret ever.

Let me start by bringing this down to brass tax. The casting of young Lily Collins as a New York City District Attorney is a hard sell. Perhaps I had watch a little too much bad films in a row. All that being said, my suspension of disbelief was ready as long as the execution was done properly and it was just what the doctor ordered. The best part for me was Simon Pegg as the mysterious Morgan Warner. His performance was enough to sit through this movie straight without ever going for the popcorn. I believed Lily Collins performance was adequate enough as the black sheep daughter.

I did enjoy a lot of technical aspects as well. Perhaps I was suckered in by a serviceable film after watching some bad ones, but sometimes it happens in reverse so I’m still going to give it credit. The cinematography was well executed. The production seemed to have more than your average backing where I never doubted the sets, the location or weather this family’s wealth. I don’t think this is a low budget thriller by a mile.

Plot holes abound? Yes. There’s a lot that gets left behind. We don’t ever learn of the fate of William’s campaign or Lauren’s big case. You also have Connie Nielsen playing Catherine Monroe who is severely underused and could have used a lot more lines. The twist and the reversal are expected so they do diminish the reward of the last act, but I was still into the whole thing. It does leave you wanting more of a bite (I swear this is not a film about food…) with all these characters just striking the surface of what they could be. It’s not entirely a satisfying finale but I do feel it scratches the itch.

Highly recommended with reservations. You might have doubts about the casting. Some plot threads are left up in the air and never solved. But still, I can’t deny that it was enjoyable from beginning to end. Leaving me wanting more is still a whole lot better than when I want less (or none of it) so I consider this a filling meal of a film (ok, perhaps I should eat something, this is getting ridiculous now). I think this is a good and decently executed thriller. I know it has its plot holes but it was solid entertainment for me. I think it merits an honest watch if not more for the entertainment value alone.

That will do for now.