Lack of narrative continuity aside, surely the point was already assumed that although Cobb’s kids could live with him, he still was a wanted criminal with a bounty on his head. That and, he actually wanted to get home.
That said, the last pane is pure timing – comedy genius.
Because the US government wouldn’t be stupid enough to let their only hold over a suspected murderer leave the country. Those kids will be watched like a hawk. Even if they DID leave it would only because the US Govt thought it was worth doing some kind of extraordinary extradition on Cobb, using his kids as the bait to draw him out of hiding.
It’s the same government that can be persuaded with a phone call, right? He’s a murder suspect, not an international terrorist, plus the futuristic world seems like the kind where corporations are more influential than governments.
That’s a different question, though, and goes to the heart of the ending and whether it’s a dream or not.
No it’s not. If he just wanted to see his children, then it could have been arranged without this whole thing. If it was all a dream, it was a boring dream and the movie makes no sense as a whole…
I didn’t say it was all a dream. The final scene of the film is pretty deliberate to my mind: We are left never knowing what happens next and we are never sure whether he comes out of limbo at all.
You can’t say for sure anything about whether parts of the film we take as ‘real’ are actually dream, you can only have an opinion and it’s as valid as anyone else’s. Still, it’s clear you are meant to doubt the end of the film.
I’ve given you a perfectly logical reason why simply flying his kids out to him wouldn’t happen. I’d also say that it could be possible for him to be allowed into the country via a single phonecall to the right person from the right person. The idea that because one character can do that it must be possible to simply circumvent the government a different way. Clearly this IS the way and that’s why he’s doing the job he’s doing.
Perverse Egalitarianism 
Props to wife. That’s funny. Movies like this don’t really admit this sort of straight-faced obvious question.
The look on DiCaprio’s face is so convincing I could almost believe this exchange was an outtake.
It’s a good look, I agree.
Yes!
Having just seen Inception, but having seen this already, all I can say is “indeed”.
Lack of narrative continuity aside, surely the point was already assumed that although Cobb’s kids could live with him, he still was a wanted criminal with a bounty on his head. That and, he actually wanted to get home.
That said, the last pane is pure timing – comedy genius.
Because the US government wouldn’t be stupid enough to let their only hold over a suspected murderer leave the country. Those kids will be watched like a hawk. Even if they DID leave it would only because the US Govt thought it was worth doing some kind of extraordinary extradition on Cobb, using his kids as the bait to draw him out of hiding.
It’s the same government that can be persuaded with a phone call, right? He’s a murder suspect, not an international terrorist, plus the futuristic world seems like the kind where corporations are more influential than governments.
That’s a different question, though, and goes to the heart of the ending and whether it’s a dream or not.
No it’s not. If he just wanted to see his children, then it could have been arranged without this whole thing. If it was all a dream, it was a boring dream and the movie makes no sense as a whole…
I didn’t say it was all a dream. The final scene of the film is pretty deliberate to my mind: We are left never knowing what happens next and we are never sure whether he comes out of limbo at all.
You can’t say for sure anything about whether parts of the film we take as ‘real’ are actually dream, you can only have an opinion and it’s as valid as anyone else’s. Still, it’s clear you are meant to doubt the end of the film.
I’ve given you a perfectly logical reason why simply flying his kids out to him wouldn’t happen. I’d also say that it could be possible for him to be allowed into the country via a single phonecall to the right person from the right person. The idea that because one character can do that it must be possible to simply circumvent the government a different way. Clearly this IS the way and that’s why he’s doing the job he’s doing.