Review of Inherent Vice (2014) by Jim H — 26 Feb 2015
A private eye investigates his ex-girlfriend's boyfriend's disappearance.
Coolly directed, Inherent Vice is the latest effort from Paul Thomas Anderson, and it is a strong, occasionally funny film. I spent most of my time watching it trying to make sure I didn't miss one of the film's many twists, attempting to avoid being side-tracked by one of Anderson's many tangential plotlines, and for the most part I was successful. The plot is certainly complex, but this isn't like Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, which is complex for no apparent reason other than showing off its own cleverness. However, after all the machinations of plot and character, I wondered what the big deal was. While I enjoyed spending some time with Doc, Joaquin Phoenix's character, I couldn't say that he was truly memorable, nor did I think that Anderson's ability to convey Thomas Pynchon's novel teach me anything new about anything.
Overall, while Inherent Vice is a good film, it's not revolutionary.
This review of Inherent Vice (2014) was written by Jim H on 26 Feb 2015.
Inherent Vice has generally received positive reviews.
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