The Greek documentary filmmaker Vasilis Katsoupis creates a visceral work, as this is his first film outside of the nonfiction world. He leaves behind an interpretation of the world of fine art, opening up a closed world and letting us in. He delves into the different perceptions art can have from the different standpoints in which it is consumed, from the critics to the dealers to the ones who view it in museums.
All eyes will turn to the star of the film, Willem Dafoe, the art thief named Nemo, who gets stuck inside the penthouse apartment. Helicoptered in from the roof, Nemo is in search of three paintings that are worth millions of dollars. On his head is Number Three, directing him through the apartment. When one particular painting becomes difficult to find, Nemo sets off a security alarm in the apartment, causing it to go into lockdown. Number Three cuts his communication, and Nemo is left alone, with no utilities, just with the expensive objects and art around him.
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Dafoe Shows Range
Through the gamut of acting, Willem Dafoe has developed a large cult following over many years. He is beloved for being able to bring an added malevolence and creepiness to a character. Starting as a lead man to just being a supporting actor, fans can’t get enough when Dafoe pops up.
Willem has appeared as the Green Goblin in ‘Spider-Man’ and in ‘John Wick.’ He has recently reached acclaim for his independent performances in films such as ‘The Florida Project,’ written and directed by Sean Baker as well as in ‘The Lighthouse’ alongside Robert Pattinson, and directed by Robert Eggers.
As Nemo, Dafoe is able to unleash all his neurosis and eccentric behavior into the character. The simple premise of the film allows Dafoe to not be constrained, and his range as an actor easily flows as the movie progresses. Slowly losing his mind, Dafoe has to react in the manner of someone isolated and trapped in confinement. With little dialogue in the film, you are mainly watching the degeneration of this man’s mind as he attempts to stay alive and get out of the apartment he is trapped in. As his character becomes more isolated, we can see his longing to connect with the outside world. One of the only things that helps keep his mind alive is watching the housekeeper who eats lunch on the stairwell and cleans outside the apartment that he sees through security cameras. This connection gives Nemo the inspiration to start drawing. Nemo continues to draw throughout the rest of his films, and the deterioration of his mind and body becomes the art that he is leaving behind.
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Fine Art
The director uses fine art in the film to accentuate the point of its meaning and meaninglessness within the world. ‘Inside’ shows the world of fine art. The film takes place in an art dealer’s penthouse. Pieces worth millions are framed on the wall, and Katsoupis makes a point to allow static shots on the frames to make the audience view the art as anyone in a museum or gallery would.
‘Inside’ shows the world of art collectors and how they only care about how much a piece of art goes for and how little they actually care about why the art was being made. This goes hand in hand with Nemo’s isolation. He wants human connection of any kind. While it is unclear how long he has been inside the apartment for, it is clear that it is at least a few days. In that time, he is creating art that starts out beautiful and becomes increasingly abstract. Vasilis shows the despair that artists go through in their work. With art, there is life and beauty, but also chaos and destruction. His attempt to depict this is through Willem Dafoe’s ability to bring enmity to his work.
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Contained Film
The contained film is not an expensive blockbuster that uses a bunch of special effects and locations. One penthouse apartment that has the ambiance of a luxury that few could afford, though it gives us a look into the lives of those who are at the top of the art-dealing world.
Director Katsoupis uses intense close-ups that focus more on the texture and framing of the subjects than on making us feel contained. Trying to make each frame a work of art, Katsoupis is able to introduce the question of what art is. As the film goes through the stages of sanity, you may start to feel the same containment as Dafoe. The metaphor is a tough one to get across, although Dafoe is the only guiding light that will help you get there. Using one location helps to isolate the experience a character is going through to create a metaphor. In this instance, it is to show the way in which we take advantage of art and the artists who make it. We take it for granted when we view it or when the dealers pay exuberant amounts for it.
Since the release of Inside in 2023, Willem Dafoe has stayed busy with an eclectic mix of roles. He starred in Pet Shop Days, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival and reached U.S. theaters in 2025, and lent his voice to the action comedy Zero. This year, he appears in Gastón Solnicki’s dark comedy The Souffleur and Kent Jones’ drama Late Fame. Dafoe also takes on a pivotal role in The Man in My Basement, a thriller based on Walter Mosley’s novel that debuted at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival. He recently headlined The Birthday Party, which premiered at Locarno, and is set to reunite with Robert Eggers on Werwulf, a medieval werewolf horror due in 2026.
Producers: Marcos Kantis, Giorgos Karnavas, Dries Phlypo
Writers: Ben Hopkins and Vasilis Katsoupis
Director: Vasilis Katsoupis
Mentioned Cast: Willem Dafoe
By Devon James
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Devon James is a screen and media writer determined to provide readers with engaging and informative content. His film industry background gives him an adept knowledge in the entertainment industry. This complies with The Hollywood Insider’s mission to educate readers. Devon likes seeing hidden voices in film that provide new cultural perspectives. He enjoys the conversations cinema creates; hoping through his writing to open up topics for discussion.
Devon James is a screen and media writer determined to provide readers with engaging and informative content. His film industry background gives him an adept knowledge in the entertainment industry. This complies with The Hollywood Insider’s mission to educate readers. Devon likes seeing hidden voices in film that provide new cultural perspectives. He enjoys the conversations cinema creates; hoping through his writing to open up topics for discussion.
