I don't know. I look at a movie like Le Samourai or The Driver or even Heat and they're pretty stark movies that only offer us certain specific glimpses into the lives of their characters. But there's so much detail in how those characters move and talk and react to things.  


Like, I get that Inception explains its world well. But do any of its character really feel like they live in that world? Do they have quirks that have developed from years of dealing with this? Do they have individual perspectives on  it? Philosophies on it? I mean, do they even dress in ways that feel authentic to a character in that space?   


Or is all just superficial and looks cool in the moment?  We get to see the nameplate of the Nebuchadnezzar. We find out what these people eat and drink when they're unplugged and how bad it is. We see the Woman in the Red Dress and then meet her creator and get his whole hedonistic worldview explained to us in a way that feels totally organic and asks real questions to the viewer.  


Inception is always occurring in spaces that feel underdesigned, even when it doesn't really serve the plot. There's nothing to hold onto. There aren't any details.