Review of Inherent Vice (2014) by Stephen T — 01 Jul 2015

Inherent Vice is defined as self-destructive nature, which makes an unacceptable risk. Its a very appropriate title in several ways. The film is polarizing, as is most film noir and neo-noir, most people either like it or they don't. Reasons to watch are as follows: (1) The plot, like most film noir, is convoluted and difficult to follow, but if done well then it is unforgettable. Inherent Vice achieves that layered storytelling aspect (or lasagna effect) until the very end with an inconclusive conclusion. That is unfortunate, because the failed ending, as with other Anderson films, hurts Mr. Anderson's legacy as a filmmaker. (2) On the other hand, American director and Southern California native son Paul Tomas Anderson re-creates the hazy world of 1970 very realistically. Just watch mentor Robert Altman's 1973 film, The Long Goodbye (set in 1973), and observe the similarities. The film successfully and stylistically captures the 1970 zeitgeist (or spirit of an era) very well, such as documenting the Charles Manson fright and subsequent hippie paranoia that gripped Los Angeles (traffic stop scene). (3) Lead actor Joaquin Phoenix inhabits his role as stoner P.I. Larry "Doc" Sportello and is thoroughly believable throughout the film. Larry is representative of the film's other characters and ultimately Mr. Anderson's vision. Characters in this film are kept at a distance and, we the viewers, care little for them or their problems. They are hazy and bizarre just like 1970 L.A., but so is the subsequent culture; that is what makes them special, interesting, and worth filming (Anderson's point). It's not slice of life Anderson's going for, but zeitgeist: the spirit of an era. And if that zeitgeist contains inherent vice than all the better for capturing a fleeting historical interregnum on film.

[Note: Mr. Pynchon's book and Mr. Anderson's film are comedic].