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Just what I hoped it would be and so much more.
I walked into Inherent Vice with high expectations, and walked out satisfied. I drove for 2 hours to go see this movie, and I thought that it was completely worth every second of the drive. From the opening shot to the final shot, I was completely hypnotized. I could not take my eyes off of the screen, I was in a complete and total trance, and even on the car ride home I was still in a trance. I cannot stop thinking about this film. It is one that stays with you for a long, long time. And now, it's time to talk about the story.
From basically the beginning of the film, I was confused by the story. The story is exceedingly complicated and strange. But, I completely enjoyed it and wanted more of it. Within the complicated, almost indecipherable storyline are interesting and complicated characters that you want to know more about, but are just left knowing a little bit. You don't learn everything about any one character, there's always that little bit of mystery in every character, making you want to revisit the film again to try and learn more about them. I am not even going to attempt to sum up the storyline, you'll just have to see it for yourself. it makes the film more fun not knowing what the basic storyline is. Afterall, the trailers did a really great job of not telling you what the story is. It makes for some great surprises and unexpected moments. A lot of the review snippets I've read on Flixster seem to be addressing the confusing storyline and the drugs, but I don't think that either of those things are the main focus of the film. The main focus, to me anyway, is the interesting characters, the funny moments, and the strange situations that Doc gets into. Your first time seeing the film, you don't have to completely understand the storyline, I sure didn't, but in the end I realized the brilliance of all that had happened before. I had a good, basic understanding of what the film was about and was glad that I had seen it. I also think that a lot of reviews leave out how dark the film really is at it's core. There are a LOT of unsavory characters and places. The world is dark, but exceedingly fascinating. The main character Doc Sportello is obviously a comedic character, but you can see a sadness in his eyes. It's easy to see that he's a layered character with many deep and complicated emotions, but do we ever see that side of him? Not really. But is this a bad thing? I personally don't think so. I think Doc partakes in these substances to try and hide from this side of himself, and to try and keep that side of himself hidden and tucked away inside. It works really well,because it leaves you wanting to know more about him. There are so many elements at play here, and I think that in order to address them all would take a long paper, not just a movie review. Inherent Vice has so much to explore. I just wanted to know more about every character, every location, every situation.. Inherent Vice leaves you wanting to go back, to see if you can discover more than what you found in your first viewing. Oh, and good luck getting this film out of your head after you've seen it.
I'd like to talk about the screenplay and dialogue now. I haven't even dicussed the comedic elements of the film yet. There are quite a few laughs in this film, and the zany and insane humor will appeal to some, but not all. For me personally, I was too enthralled in the story and the characters to pay too much attention to the comedy. I did laugh quite a few times though, and there are some extremely strange and hilarious moments. Some very strange things happen in this film, and they seem to come out of nowhere, but you learn to just roll with it and laugh, to not expect an explanation. Because strangely funny things happen in this life, and more often than not, we don't get an explanation of them. It is the same way with Inherent Vice. Expect to laugh, and expect to say "WTF was that??" I had a great time seeing what comedic mischief Doc would get into next, and what strange events might happen next. I think it's time to move on to acting.
Joaquin Phoenix gives a fantastic performance as Doc Sportello. His facial expressions, the way he delivers his lines, are spectacular, and hilarious. A slight facial twinge can send the audience up in laughter. He really does a great job of being our "hero", and while he has his problems and doesn't always do the "right thing" you still root for him throughout the movie, because he's likable and funny. He's a great vehicle to take us from place to place, from character to character, situation to situation. What can I say, Joaquin is great in this. He is in basically the whole movie, and if it wasn't a great performance, I wouldn't be raving so much about this film. And who knew that Joaquin could do comedy so well? He is, of course, also amazing in the serious scenes too. Ok enough about Joaquin, let's move on.
Joanna Newsom plays Sortilege, a strange and mysterious narrator. She is in the film visually for a very short time, but when she is on screen she's good. But her narration is what really shines. This is one of the more comfortable narrator voices I've heard. Her voice is very soothing and really helps to guide you through the film. The narration works very well for this film. Her narration lines are written beautifully and poetically, so it's not just someone telling us what's happening, it's told with style.
Katherine Waterston is absolutely fantastic in this film. She is a beautiful actress, and I haven't seen many films with her in them, but I am hoping that will change after Inherent Vice. Her story is one of the sadder and more serious parts of the film, but it is also one of the most emotionally compelling parts of the film. She plays a very saddened and emotionally complex character, and she does that very well. She gives a great performance, and one that is very memorable. I was truly surprised by her acting skill.
Josh Brolin is one of the funniest parts of the film. He plays a very strange cop nicknamed "Bigfoot". We learn some surprises about him later on in the film, but throughout the film, he does some crazy and hilarious things, and the chemistry between Brolin and Phoenix is great. They seemed to have a lot of fun with this movie, and anytime you see Brolin on screen you can expect laughter. I never knew he could be so funny, but he is.
Let's talk about camerawork. Robert Elswit is the cinematographer and the camerawork is on display much less in this film than any other Paul Thomas Anderson film. Nonetheless, the camerawork is still good. There are some really iconic locations in the film, and they're presented well visually. They did a great job of keeping the vibe of the seventies, and a lot of that is the visuals. There are some shots in the film that stick in your mind, and stay with you long after the film is over. So, the camerawork is great, but definitely less noticeable in this film than others. Still good though.
The music in Inherent Vice is another great aspect of the film. For a supposedly comedic film about the 70's and drugs, the music is surprisingly modern sounding and dark. Johnny Greenwood (who also composed the score of There Will Be Blood), did the soundtrack, and at the film's serious moments it really helps create a feeling of sadness and melancholy. During it's more lighthearted moments, there are more songs from the 70's giving it a real 70's vibe. Also, the music helps to instill an atmosphere of paranoia throughout the film keeping the audience nervous for the characters and what might happen to them.
It may be surprising, and you may think me crazy, but I thought that Inherent Vice was a masterpiece. I wouldn't call this a perfect film, but then again, I can't think of anything that I really didn't like about it. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it, and for a comedy, it really leaves you thinking for a long time after it's over. Paul Thomas Anderson has shown the great heights that he can reach with comedy. He has shown how he can transform dramatic actors into a comedic hilarities. I wouldn't even call this a film, I would call this an experience. I experienced Inherent Vice, and I want to experience it again. After the film is over, you find yourself thinking "Was I just in a movie theater, or was I in a different world?" The dialogue is sharp and witty. There also some beautiful and poetic lines of dialogue in the film too. The characters seem real, and the film seems like a real world. Just like you can't expect to leave this life with all of your questions answered, and you can't expect the same from Inherent Vice. But to know everything there is to know about the film and the world would ruin the mystery and the thrill of it. Inherent Vice is a journey, an adventure, and an experience. I don't regret seeing it for a second, and I want to see it again very soon. I highly, highly recommend Inherent Vice.
__________________
Through the darkness of future past
The magician longs to see
One chants out between two worlds:
Fire walk with me.
Through the darkness of future past
The magician longs to see
One chants out between two worlds:
Fire walk with me.
