Inherent Vice: a film proffered by a singular director, adapted from a book written by a singular novelist. Those anticipating the film knew that it would be interesting at the very least. The reality is a complicated one. It is California in 1970 and private investigator Doc Sportello (Joaquín Phoenix) chases his tail all over town in an ode to manipulative women, drugs and the end of the golden age of hippy-dom.
The film kicks off with a love letter to the private investigator flicks of old, a mini invocation of classic California and the husky tones of an overly-wordy narrator (Joanna Newsom), introducing us to the moment that following events will hinge upon. Shasta (Katherine Waterston) comes to see her ex, Doc, weaving a tale of adultery and faux-moral obligation; her married and wealthy boyfriend has a wife who would see him banged up in a asylum so she can collect his real estate profits. Doc is still fascinated by Shasta, so when both she and the real estate guy goes missing he jumps to attention and goes on a magical mystery tour of all the dodgy dealings in town trying to find out what happened to her, sporadically hindered by unhinged cop Jackboot (Josh Brolin).
Joaquín Phoenix presents a likeable stoner, a good guy who tries his best to resolve things to everyone’s liking. The central relationship however, would appear to be between him and Shasta but that relationship is as pathetic as it is see-through. Shasta is yet another flighty one dimensional woman who seems to have little if any interest in the central character. Her nude scene seems wholly without point and only serves to highlight the flaws of her monologue, drily exposing the tenuous nature of links between the film’s proceedings and its title; director Paul Thomas Anderson’s style working against him in violent fashion. Despite its flaws, Inherent Vice somehow still manages to kick that other recent homage to the 1970s, American Hustle, in the crotch by focusing more on character development while losing nothing in the style stakes.
The non-linear style of Inherent Vice is charming at times but the annoyingly dense parts derail enjoyment with some power. If characters such as Doc, Jackboot or Martin Short’s dodgy dentist Rudy Blatnoyd weren’t so amusing it would be quite impossible to retain any interest in the film once two hours had passed with no sign of a resolution. Individual parts of Inherent Vice are good but it does not work as a whole entity: definitely not a film that you would want to watch more than once.
Maryann has awarded Inherent Vice two Torches of Truth
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