Inherent Vice

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Josh Brolin, Joanna Newsom, Katherine Waterston, Reese Witherspoon, Owen Wilson, Benicio Del Toro, Jena Malone, Eric Roberts, Maya Rudolph, Michael Kenneth Williams, Martin Short, Martin Donovan
Directed by: Paul Thomas Anderson
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy, Drama
2014

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A private investigator (Joaquin Phoenix) gets pulled into a complex plot when his ex-girlfriend (Katherine Waterston) asks for his help.

Review:

Tim: Paul Thomas Anderson always makes intriguing, challenging movies. Sometimes they work (There Will Be Blood, Punch Drunk Love), sometimes they don't (Magnolia, The Master). I would say that although somewhat flawed, Inherent Vice belongs in the former category. While not quite great, the film is a twisty, cool, funny, complex crime dramedy that isn't really like anything else.

I haven't read Thomas Pynchon's book, but this film feels like a good adaptation, just based on the sheer number of characters and subplots. There's a lot in this movie- like, seriously, a lot- and that gives it this literary adaptation feel that's enjoyable. The story is complex, but not in an especially frustrating way. You kind of have a sense of what's going on, even during those moments where you're really scratching your head and wondering what the heck is going on. I did wish on occasion for a little more clarity in the story. I suppose this does engender the need for repeat viewings.

The cast is very strong. I liked Joaquin Phoenix in the lead role. The guy is a very talented actor and was a wonderful choice as Doc. He's funny and delivers his lines extremely well. While the mumbling on occasion was frustrating, as a whole, he was great. Josh Brolin was fine as the amped up cop. I feel like he's played this role before, so it didn't offer a whole lot new. Still, he was good. Katherine Waterston was remarkably strong for not having a whole lot of screen time. She played her part perfectly- it certainly felt like this was a performance that would get her noticed. I absolutely expect to hear more and more from her in subsequent years. For a small role, she was one of the most memorable aspects of the entire film. Owen Wilson was well cast in a role that's more serious than his typical parts, but also allowed him to leverage his strengths. He had some great moments with Phoenix. Reese Witherspoon was good in a small supporting role. I don't think she did a single thing that wowed me, but she was very effective. Benicio Del Toro was grossly underutilized. The guy has talent and yet had almost nothing to do. Jena Malone had a great scene, but that's about it. Martin Short was fine in a very small role, and ditto for Eric Roberts. This is a movie all about Phoenix, but featured all these pop in characters who mostly made bigger than expected impacts on the film. As a whole, the cast is strong and certainly a highlight of the film.

Now, while Inherent Vice is a fun, meandering, zany look into the 1970s, it felt like despite director Paul Thomas Anderson's obvious passion for the project, the movie never really excelled in a single area. It did everything well, and yet, never really delivered a punch with full force. The movie was unexpected, different, and fun, and yet, I question its lasting impact. This felt like a film that needed to be mentioned among the year's best, and yet, was only nominated for two Academy Awards, winning zero. It's the classic case of a film with an ambitious objective that delivers a solid run but never quite lives up to its potential. I'll probably forget almost everything about this movie other than it just being a "crazy ride".

Not every film is going to be a classic. While Inherent Vice had enough going for it that it really should have been better, I had no real problems with the film. Even though it's way too long at 148 minutes, the movie moves rapidly enough along that this isn't a major detriment. Still, this is a film I'm consider good, but one that falls short of its potential.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: There Will Be Blood, Punch Drunk Love, Magnolia