'Inherent Vice' Review

First things first: Paul Thomas Anderson understands the seventies.

Anderson's love for seventies filmmaking is apparent in many of his films, but most notably in his 1997 film, 'Boogie Nights' starring Mark Wahlberg. Since then, he has made critically-acclaimed flicks such as 'Magnolia', 'Punch-Drunk Love', 'There Will Be Blood', and 'The Master'. Each represents the end of an era, yet still retains that cinema verite style he holds so dearly, no matter what the genre. Now we come to his newest venture and return to seventies America, 'Inherent Vice'. An adaption of Thomas Pynchon's 2009 novel starring Joaquin Phoenix, Josh Brolin, Reese Witherspoon, Jena Malone, Martin Short, Katherine Waterson, Owen Wilson, Benincio Del Toro, Maya Rudolph, Eric Roberts, and plenty of others. With a well-established director, a great reproduction of seventies noir set pieces, and a group of actors as brilliant as this; how could it go wrong? Well, I'll tell you...

'Inherent Vice' revolves around stoner detective "Doc" Sportello (wonderfully portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix). When "Doc" gets a late-night visit from his beautiful ex-girlfriend (played by Katherine Waterson, who "Doc" still isn't over), he discovers that a real estate mogul by the name of Michael Z. Wolfmann (Eric Roberts) is having an affair with his former lover, and is trying to be blackmailed by his wife and her personal trainer (confused yet?). "Doc" agrees to help his ex, and begins a wacky ride that consists of murder, sex, cops, neo-Nazis, gangs, religious cults, black humor, and a whole lot of smoking weed, all coming together to make one of the most incoherent movies you'll ever see.

'Inherent Vice' is chuck-full of problems, but it's certainly not without merit. Firstly, Anderson, as always, sets up this world of psychedelics and violence perfectly. On a purely visual standpoint, no frame in this film has been wasted. The neon colors, mixed with the hazy tint that gets heavier as the film continues are fantastic touches. The tremendous cast occupies this world with real exuberance. Notably, Josh Brolin as the hippie hating cop, nicknamed: "Bigfoot". Brolin shows us another side of his overly-expoited chiseled demeanor, with lacing it with plenty of humor. But the real standout is our lead, Joaquin Phoenix as the pot-head anti-hero, "Doc Sportello". Phoenix has already proven to be one of the best actors of our generation, but in this film he shows us his comedic persona. It's absolutely brilliant. I never would have guessed that the guy from 'Her' would be a master at physical comedy.

Sadly, very little praise can be given to 'Inherent Vice' after these attributes have been mentioned. 

'Inherent Vice' seems like Paul Thomas Anderson stuck between adapting a novel, yet also trying to make a three-way tribute to Roger Corman's 'The Trip', Roman Polanski's 'Chinatown', and The Coen Brothers' 'The Big Lebowski', while STILL wanting to keep his much-beloved style. With all of these elements thrown together, you get a problem many films today encounter: it doesn't know what it wants to be. Causing the audience to not know (or care) about what's going on. 

When I got a little past the halfway mark, 'Inherent Vice' began to feel like an endurance test, which is very depressing given the great early-70s setting and huge amount of talent.  Every couple of minutes the film introduces multiple characters, whether by visuals or (frustratingly) by dialogue and expects us to keep up with each of them, which is made all the more confusing when their names are more deserving of 'Star Wars' aliens, rather than actual people. I know Anderson is trying to remain close to source-material, but did every character really have to stay? Plus, these characters just add to more convoluted problems in an already convoluted plot. 

If 'Inherent Vice' was directed by The Coen Brothers it would've been a simple, silly, hour and a half companion piece to 'The Big Lebowski'. But instead, we're treated to a nearly two and a half-hour movie that tries to capture the magic of the Coens, but can't when its intimate character moments are all used to explain the very incoherent storyline. 

'Inherent Vice' is not a horrible experience, just a draining one. The cast is terrific, a lot of the dry humor lands, and it's an absolutely gorgeous recreation of the late 60s moving into the early 70s. Sadly, it's just too confusing, too bloated, and far too long. Many people love this film, many people hate it. I suppose I'm somewhere in the middle. I admire a film that takes a radical departure from the average explosion-fests at our local cineplexes, however it doesn't mean I want it to be convoluted, and then ultimately boring.

Whether you love him or hate him, this has to be one of Anderson's weaker efforts.

Grade: C

Review by: Josh McCormack