Review of Inherent Vice (2014) by Joel M — 18 Feb 2015

My favorite writer-director is Paul Thomas Anderson! He has created such cinematic gems as "Boogie Nights", "Magnolia", and "There Will Be Blood". His films are extremely cerebral, captivating, and powerful. But then came along "Inherent Vice"! One of the most major disappointments I have witnessed created from a genius auteur. "Inherent Vice" is Anderson's latest, and it should be retitled "Incoherent and Not Nice". What a disaster!!!! Where is Dirk Diggler, T.J. Mackey, and Daniel Plainview when you need them! "Inherent Vice" stars Joaquin Phoenix as a drug-fueled hippie Private Investigator named Larry "Doc" Sportello. He gets a surprise visit from sexy ex-girlfriend Shasta who contracts Doc to investigate a scheme by her lover's wife & her lover to frame him; or something like that; who cares? I lost "Inherent Vice" interest quickly with this convoluted & dull narrative. The film is set in 1970 in Gordita Beach, California. It's probably called Gordita Beach because of all the stoners there that have the munchies. Anyways- during Doc's investigation, he gets involved with a crazy cast of characters and a wide array of issues from politics, cults, prostitution, the drug trade and dentistry, much of it surrounding the mysterious "Golden Fang". But most of the time I was saying "What's up Doc?" or more like "What's up PTA?" with this unnecessary complex storytelling. Now, I do have to give Anderson a little credit since his movie was adapted from a Thomas Pynchon novel that seemed impossible to adapt to screen; and it's still impossible. If Anderson can't do it, nobody can. Phoenix is solid as Doc, but his weed-loving P.I. act runs its course. Josh Brolin delivered a worthy performance as the hippie-hater Lt. Detective Christian "Bigfoot" Bjornsen. My favorite performance, which was criminally underutilized in this Vice, was Benecio Del Toro as Doc's lawyer Sauncho Smilax who specializes in marine law. Nevertheless, I utterly despised "Inherent Vice" and it is not worthy of a cinematic viewing investigation.

* Failure.