Review of Inherent Vice (2014) by Kingfish S — 30 Jan 2015

Psychedelic, incoherent, hallucinatory, and woozy, Inherent Vice is an exceptional piece of enigmatic filmmaking that might just be a masterpiece. PTA has once again outdone himself, with the adaptation of the novel from the notorious (and invisible) author Thomas Pynchon a hugely courageous task to undertake regardless of quality.

Quality there is though, with a blissfully nonchalant lead turn from a thunderously good Joaquin Phoenix anchoring this through some of the more blissfully bizarre moments. In essence, this is a film of stupendous moments, strung together under a lethargic sunny haze and a thumping soundtrack.

This is a film about - well I'm not exactly sure. Ask me to explain the plot and I will probably get into the characters, the notable events of the movie, the hippy hating detective, the hippy PI, the sprawling 70s LA setting, the several laugh worthy moments the - sorry where was I? This is an incredibly arduous task as it is such a stellar movie with a plot I really cannot even begin to mount.

I am sure there's plenty in there and I'm sure, on rewatch (an inevitability) the opening scenes will hold greater resonance and may go some way in explaining the scattered plot this delirious movie contains.

I am truly sorry this review was an agitated mess, but that was the movie: a brilliant, glorious mess that is surely destined for the cult status it so effortlessly pined for. Another unqualified success from Anderson - almost certainly a masterpiece now I ponder once more.