Private investgator Doc Sportello
goes through life bare-footed and permanently sucking on a string of joint
after joint. It’s 1970 and the Manson murders are a very recent bitter memory in an era
where the peace and love of the hippies is giving over to the paranoia of those
who always had their sneaking suspicions about the long-haired, soap-dodging
flower children. Doc gets a visit from his ex-lover Shasta who informs him that
her current boyfriend (rich and married) is about to be targeted by his wife
and her lover in a bid to get him committed so that they can steal his money. So
begins Doc’s investigation that brings him into contact with LA’s scuzziest inhabitants that include an all-star cast from drugged up dentists (Martin Short) to slightly
psychotic cops (Josh Brolin).
Inherent Vice is a breath of
fresh air after the oppressiveness of Paul Thomas Anderson’s last,
The Master and the gloomy juggernaut of There Will Be Blood. Joaquin Phoenix is a revelation as the shambolic PI who mumbles his
way through the film in a constant daze. With so many stoners on show, the pace
sometimes seems to slow to an almost complete halt. You feel like shaking some of these
hippies out of their stupor and shouting at them to snap out of it and get on
with the story. In that respect, Josh Brolin’s flat topped cop is a welcome
relief, whether simply ordering more pancakes or attempting to kick Doc into shape.
But really, the pleasure of
Inherent Vice isn’t in the investigation. Most of the film is simply a series
of conversations between Doc and a revolving door of oddballs. So Phoenix’s
performance is a constant source of humour, even if you completely lose track
of who is shafting who, who has disappeared and reappeared and what exactly Doc
is even investigating. Beyond that, the enjoyment of Inherent Vice comes from
being transported into a very specific time and place. It's got a great soundtrack and a hilariously spaced out voice-over running through it. It’s the kind of movie where
the smoke seems to come right out of the screen, making you feel all misty eyed
for an era you may have never even experienced. Doc is a slacker hero to rival The Big Lebowski's The Dude and with its hard-to-follow narrative, Inherent Vice is liable to leave you feeling just as drug addled as its protagonist.
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