Review of Inherent Vice (2014) by Fabulous H — 11 Jan 2015

I wasn't entirely sure what to make of Inherent Vice, but ultimately I came away feeling as though the film won me over through its charm. It's not always easy to follow--lots of names, lots of muddled plot points--but it's well-acted, gorgeously shot, funny, and left me with a lot to think about.

The only major issue that I had with the film was Owen Wilson, who was tonally out of place. In all, Inherent Vice may not be the director's masterpiece (look to There Will Be Blood or The Master for that, depending who you ask) but it's great to know that someone like Paul Thomas Anderson exists, and that he can continue to play with form and genre and do something that is, at the very least, interesting and different and maybe a little challenging.