Summary

• Inception's quotes provoke deep thinking about dreams and reality, challenging viewers to question their beliefs.
• The movie delves into complex concepts like inception and memory, creating a thrilling yet intellectual experience.
• Memorable quotes, like Cobb's reflections on dreams, add layers to the story and enhance the mind-bending visuals.

The best Inception quotes highlight the mind-bending aspects of Christopher Nolan's thriller that make audiences think. In Inception, DiCaprio plays the leader of a team of thieves who specialize in stealing ideas within people's dreams. They are recruited for their latest job which involves planting an idea in someone's head rather than stealing one. With such an ambitious premise, Inception deals with some big and complex concepts. Nolan's exploration of these fascinating ideas makes for Inception quotes that are truly thought-provoking.

Though Inception is an exciting blend of different genres and a thrilling ride with terrific set pieces, it is also a stimulating experience for the mind. The concepts of the dream world and how reality relates to dreams are essential to the plot, but Nolan explores these ideas in some fascinating ways. The most memorable quotes from the movie highlight these bold concepts and explain the world of the movie in such exciting ways that it enhances the whole experience. As much as it's known for its mind-bending visuals, the best Inception quotes stand out just as much.

Inception is available to stream on AppleTV+

20 "If You Can Steal An Idea, Why Can't You Plant One There Instead?"

Saito (Ken Watanabe)

Christopher Nolan introduces some ambitious and complex ideas to the audience in Inception. The very premise of the movie requires viewers to really consider dreams and how they shape everyone's life. Even this simple question from Saito becomes a thought-provoking idea. In a world in which people can take ideas from people's dreams, the movie relies on the idea that placing an idea is much more difficult.

What makes this question such an important one is that it allows the audience to come to the realization that inception would be more difficult but also consider how it could be possible. It is impressive that Inception throws the audience into the story with the exciting idea of thieves who enter people's dreams to steal ideas only to quickly introduce a new element that immediately raises the stakes for this unique sci-fi movie.

19 "She Locked Away A Secret, Deep Inside Herself, Something She Once Knew To Be True... But Chose To Forget."

Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio)

Marion Cottiliard's Mal is meant to be a bit of a mystery in Inception, with her already dead by the time the plot begins and her memory serving as a haunting presence throughout the story. However, the movie does give some deeper hints about her backstory and the reason Cobb is filled with such guilt over what happened to her.

While Inception doesn't reveal what the secret is, it adds to the heartbreaking reality of what happens to her.

Cobb reveals that Mal used the dreamscape to lock away a painful memory that she wanted to forget. While Inception doesn't reveal what the secret is, it adds to the heartbreaking reality of what happens to her. It is another fascinating way the movie explores the idea of a person's mind. Mal has a dark secret or a traumatizing pain that she wants to forget, but the idea that a person can find a part of their mind that even they cannot access is a mind-bending one.

18 "Because, In My Dreams We Are Together."

Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio)

Cobb can't go home in Inception due to the fact that he has been framed for Mal's death. While he seeks a way to clear his name and reunite with his children, he returns to the dream world in the meantime. It seems almost like an addiction for him and he explains that it is the only reality in which his family is together. Though Mal represents something of a villain in the dream world, this serves as a reminder of the beautiful life they once shared.

This Inception quote sets the emotional stakes for his character, but it also adds to the question of the ending, as the audience could interpret this as the suggestion that the only way Cobb could be with his children again would be if he was dreaming. Not only that, but he would be able to see his wife again.

17 "You Are Just A Shade Of My Real Wife. You're The Best I Can Do; But I'm Sorry, You Are Just Not Good Enough."

Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio)

While returning to his children is his motivation behind the dangerous job he's taken on, Cobb's heartbreak over losing Mal becomes a threat to the entire mission. She continues to pop up in the dream levels, distracting Cobb and adding a new level of danger. However, Cobb finally confronts the dream version of Mal and comes to the realization that she is not what he needs.

Cobb brings up the interesting idea that, no matter how real she could feel to him, his mind's creation of Mal will always pale in comparison to the real woman he loved.

Though he has continued to return to the dream world to be with her, Cobb brings up the interesting idea that, no matter how real she could feel to him, his mind's creation of Mal will always pale in comparison to the real woman he loved. It is a reminder to him that, as alluring as the dream world can be since it gives him the reality he wants, it is never going to be like the real thing.

16 "No, No. I Was Disappointed... That You Tried."

Maurice Fischer (Pete Postlethwaite)

Cillian Murphy's Oppenheimer role allowed him to headline a Christopher Nolan movie for the first time, but the actor plays a pivotal supporting role in Inception as the target of the mission. Surprisingly, the story of Murphy's Robert Fischer taking control of his late father's company is becomes one of the most emotional aspects of the movie, especially in this climactic scene.

Cobb's team has studied Robert's complicated relationship with his father Maurice and found that the final thing he said to his son was simply "Disappointed." Robert assumed his father meant he was disappointed in his son but Cobb's work has Robert's subconscious believe his father never wanted him to follow in his footsteps. It is a clever way of showing how a small detail can change a person's perspective and makes for a heartbreaking moment for Murphy's character.

15 “You Mustn’t Be Afraid To Dream A Little Bigger, Darling.”

Eames (Tom Hardy)

The successful professional relationship between Christopher Nolan and Tom Hardy began with Hardy's performance as of Eames in Inception. Though it is a smaller supporting role compared to other ones that Hardy plays in future projects, he manages to steal the show as the most entertaining character. When Arthur takes on the goons within the dream world, Eames suggests, “You mustn’t be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling,” before whipping out a giant grenade launcher.

It is a funny moment in Inception, but it’s actually pretty sound, applicable advice for life.

It is a funny moment in Inception, but it’s actually pretty sound, applicable advice for life. Playing it safe is wise at times, but Eames is clearly someone who knows the value of seeing the bigger picture and its potential. Hardy's delivery of the line is also pitch-perfect, infusing Eames with a sense of high-class sophistication while also being a deadly warrior.

14 “Once An Idea Has Taken Hold Of The Brain, It’s Almost Impossible To Eradicate.”

Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio)

Dom Cobb has a few monologues about ideas throughout Inception, and they speak to very relatable ideas about a person's mind that are not necessarily considered often. The way he sees it, an idea is the most powerful force in the universe. The right idea can consume someone’s brain. At one point, Cobb compares ideas to parasites: “Resilient...highly contagious."

Throughout Inception, it's suggested this could be a good or bad thing. An idea can be exciting and make someone want to pursue it beyond just a thought. However, an idea can also become embedded and impossible to escape. It presents an interesting complexity to the movie, but this idea also feels like Nolan's appreciation for those, and himself, who can have those big, all-consuming ideas that they see all the way through.

13 “Downward Is The Only Way Forward.”

Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio)

Following the string of dream levels in Inception isn’t easy, adding to the complexity of the movie while also setting up some of its most memorable moments. When the characters say things like, “Downward is the only way forward,” it might seem as though Nolan is intentionally trying to warp the audience's mind.

Nolan treats the story like a good puzzle with the pieces coming together gradually

However, Nolan treats the story like a good puzzle with the pieces coming together gradually, and it is a testament to his talents that such a seemingly paradoxical line actually makes perfect sense within the context of Inception as Cobb and his team venture further down into the target's subconscious to accomplish their mission. It is an exciting line that shows how the audience has been placed inside a concept in which reality is blurred, and each step is unpredictable.

12 “They Say We Only Use A Fraction Of Our Brain’s True Potential.”

Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio)

During one of the early scenes in Inception as he meets with Saito for the first time, Cobb repeats the common misconception that there is some unused part of the brain that is just waiting to be unlocked. It is something that has been explored in movies like Lucy and Limitless, but Cobb adds an interesting element by pointing out this is not the case when people are asleep.

Again, there is a bit of inaccuracy as it is not as if a dormant part of the human brain with new knowledge and capabilities suddenly comes to life when asleep. However, given what people are capable of in a dream, it is an interesting thought. It is a great note to begin the movie on as it sets the stage for a story within dreams where there are endless possibilities and power to be explored.

11 “True Inspiration Is Impossible To Fake.”

Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt)

Nolan explores some fascinating areas of thought, ideas, and inspiration within Inception's mission to create an idea in a target's mind. In order to demonstrate the process of planting an idea in someone’s mind, Arthur tells Saito not to think about elephants, then asks him what he’s thinking about and Saito replies, “Elephants.” Arthur explains that it is easy to put that thought in Saito's mind, but that Saito is fully aware of where the thought came from.

The idea of giving someone an idea that they believe is their own sets up so many difficulties for Cobb and his team.

It is a brilliant way of highlighting just how impossible the mission that drives the narrative of Inception. The idea of giving someone an idea that they believe is their own sets up so many difficulties for Cobb and his team. However, that only makes it all the more thrilling as the audience gets to see how they are able to pull it off in a way that makes sense.

10 "Dreams Feel Real While We’re In Them. It’s Only When We Wake Up That We Realize Something Was Actually Strange."

Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio)

This might be the most thought-provoking Inception quote, and shows how effectively Christopher Nolan is able to identify things about dreams that everyone can relate to. Cobb makes a fantastic point about the psychology of dreams. Cobb explains this to the character of Ariadne, who serves as the audience surrogate in exploring the dream world.

As Cobb walks Ariadne through things, he explains that even the most bizarre and out-of-place things in dreams go unnoticed until they wake up and look back on them. This is an idea everyone can relate to, as a person's reactions in a dream may be as if everything is normal only to wake up and realize the impossible nature of the scenario they were just in. To highlight his point, Cobb reveals to Ariadne that she is currently in a dream without even knowing it.

9 "Come Back To Reality, Dom."

Miles (Michael Caine)

Michael Caine is Christopher Nolan’s go-to actor for a wise old mentor figure who explains things to the lead, and there’s a good reason for that. Caine is one of the world’s finest actors, with an impressive résumé that includes roles in some of the greatest movies ever made, and he gets Nolan’s style, playing all the ambiguous moments like this one with a knowing smile that sells the idea that there is actually a definitive answer to everything.

Though a relatively small role with only a couple of scenes in Inception, his character Miles is integral to Cobb’s story arc at the heart of the film

Though a relatively small role with only a couple of scenes in Inception, his character Miles is integral to Cobb’s story arc at the heart of the film, as he’s Cobb’s tie between reality and the dream world. He even tells him at one point, “Come back to reality, Dom.” Emphasizing that Dom is spending too much time chasing a life that is no longer real, and it is time for him to live in the reality that is now.

8 "That Many Dreams Within Dreams Is Too Unstable."

Yusuf (Dileep Rao)

Not content with introducing the idea of dream heists and people entering into the same dreams together, Christopher Nolan continues to pile plenty more high-concept ideas on throughout Inception. This is the movie that introduced the idea of dreams within a dream, which has taken on a new life in pop culture, used to reference overly complicated ideas that are one on top of another.

When Cobb breaks down the plan of how they are going to achieve the seemingly impossible task of inception, he lays out the multi-layered structure of the dream. Yusuf is the one who chimes in that such a structure is too unstable, adding even more stakes to the already intense mission. However, the quote can also be seen as a meta-reference to just how convoluted the plot of the movie is getting to the point of risking collapse if Nolan doesn't balance it correctly.

7 "Building A Dream From Your Memory Is The Easiest Way Of Losing Your Grasp On What’s Real And What Is A Dream."

Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio)

Cobb is established as one of the greatest minds when it comes to the construction of dreams. However, he also knows the dangers of this world and comes at it with a set of rules that he works by. This includes the idea of building a dream from something new, as creating it based on a memory can cause the dreamer to become too engrossed with the dreamworld and lose touch with reality.

It is common to have dreams about familiar things, and it is those dreams that can be hardest to distinguish from reality.

This is another point that feels very true to Inception viewers. It is common to have dreams about familiar things, and it is those dreams that can be hardest to distinguish from reality. However, this also has some dark implications for Cobb himself as he freely admits he creates dreams in which his family is still together, hinting that he is breaking his own rule and that he risks slipping from reality.

6 "I’m Still Dreaming."

Saito (Ken Watanabe)

Part of the world-building in Inception deals with the specific training men like Saito have to prevent dream theft. The movie opens with Cobb on a desperate mission to steal an idea from Saito only for it to fall apart. This leads to Cobb simply threatening to kill Saito if he doesn't give him the information that he wants. However, when Cobb throws him to the floor, Saito feels the carpet he’s lying on and realizes it's not the real carpet from his apartment, and he is still inside a dream.

The entirerty of Inception is a surreal, dizzying trip, and this opening is a terrific reveal of the complexity of the story. The audience is tricked into thinking the dream is over only to reveal the first dream within a dream. This also sets up the lingering threat throughout the movie that the dreamer doesn't always know when dreams end and reality begins, leading to Inception's infamous ending.

5 "An Idea Is Like A Virus."

Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio)

While there are countless theories about Inception, one of the most intriguing ideas is that it is a movie about filmmaking. Fans have looked at the movie as a metaphor for the process of making a movie with each member of Cobb's team filling a specific filmmaking role. Ariadne is the production designer, Eames is the actor, and Cobb is obviously the director.

Nolan and his team are trying to build this concept into something to give to the audience that is as lasting and impactful as an idea.

This is further backed up by quotes like this by Cobb which seem to celebrate the concept of an idea as such a powerful thing. Nolan's own idea gave birth to Inception, and just as Cobb and his team are out to plant an idea in Robert Fischer's head, Nolan and his team are trying to build this concept into something to give to the audience that is as lasting and impactful as an idea.

4 "Who Would Wanna Be Stuck In A Dream For Ten Years?"

Ariande (Elliot Page)

Everyone has those dreams that they wish they could have stayed in longer, However, in Inception's world where dreams can be constructed and entered into at will, it brings up the idea of becoming addicted to that dream and living within it as much as possible. When discussing the different time frames as each different level within the dream, it is revealed that the third level feels like ten years in the dream.

When it is questioned why someone would want to stay in a dream for so long, Cobb suggests there are some scenarios where that would be welcome. Cobb himself struggles with escaping reality to return to his dream world This could give a hint to Inception's ending as Cobb is so happy to be back with his kids that he doesn't care if he's dreaming.

3 "Do You Want To Take A Leap Of Faith Or Become An Old Man Filled With Regret Waiting To Die Alone?"

Saito (Ken Watanabe)

This is an Inception quote that many can relate to, because leaps of faith can feel frightening and uncertain before the fact. It’s only after someone has actually taken the leap of faith that they realize whether or not it was a good thing. The line is first delivered by Saito as he proposes the mission to Cobb, suggesting he can choose to trust him or live with the regret of passing up this opportunity.

This Inception quote could be seen as Cobb confronting his own life of hiding from reality.

When Saito is in limbo later in Inception, the line comes back into play as a way of Cobb tethering Saito back to reality and causing him to remember who he is. This Inception quote could be seen as Cobb confronting his own life of hiding from reality. He knows it is a risk to returning to the life he had before, but he also knows living through his dreams will eventually lead to him regretting a wasted life.

2 "In The Dream State, Your Conscious Defenses Are Lowered And It Makes Your Thoughts Vulnerable To Theft."

Arthur (Joseph Gordo-Levitt)

Inception is, at its core, a movie that explores the power of the mind and the truly incredible things it can do. When explaining the concept of "extractions" in the dream world and how criminals like them can get away with it, Arthur points out that dreams are when the mind is most vulnerable to outside interactions.

Though vulnerable, Inception shows that with a foreign party entering the dream, the dreamer's mind takes notice and can get hostile in dealing with the intruder.

It is another concept that is easy to relate to. Many people can recall having dreams in which a sound or the surrounding environment suddenly makes its way in and influences their mind. The concept also established the defensive capabilities of a person's mind. Though vulnerable, Inception shows that with a foreign party entering the dream, the dreamer's mind takes notice and can get hostile in dealing with the intruder. It is another fascinating idea and one that raises the stakes even more.

1 "Admit It: You Don’t Believe In One Reality Anymore."

Mal (Marion Cotillard)

Throughout Inception, the audience sees Cobb grapple with reality as he loses touch with the line between dream and real life. To be fair, as the movie goes on, that line starts to blur for the audience as well — that’s a symptom of Nolan’s genius. It doesn’t help that he’s constantly haunted by his deranged wife Mal. She messes with his head, making him question what reality is just as she was led to do.

When confronted with this memory of Mal inside the dream, she possesses all the thoughts that haunt Cobb, including the idea that, like the real Mal, he has lost grip of what reality he exists in. It is a terrifying concept to have in someone's mind and is another hint that Cobb may still be dreaming at the end of the movie.