Review of Anderson's Inherent Vice

I saw this film well after it was screened at the New York Film Festival. I immediately thought it was the best film of the serious season of movies. It had everything a good movie needs; good director, based on a novel, a serious actor, a long list of character actors, and a groovy tripped out LA as a setting. It got good reviews when it was released. I don't know if it got any oscar noms, it should have, especially since this year's crop of films was weak. This film and Foxcatcher are the only films that peaked my interest. Maybe there is something else?

The film's narrative is difficult to follow. As are, I've heard, Thomas Pynchon's novels. Large, long, at times confusing, and thoroughly po-mo. It dispells notions of a modern story with a traditional linear progression, or the dichotomous hero villain relationsihp which we find in lesser works. Yet, someone is missing and needs to be found. Joaquin Phoenix plays the private eye out to find his ex. Through him the story develops. He meets all types of people from LA; cops, neo-nazis, asian masseuses, hippies, etc. In the end he finds the girl and no one has been murdered.

Perhaps the most intense scene is when Phoenix is captured by a neo-nazi and is almost murdered. He escapes and lives to tell his story.

The cinematography in the film is great. Many of the shots of the actors faces are so well lit they could be still photographs in a gallery. Not entirely dark and sometimes there was a lot of California sunshine, each shot was well done. I also liked the cinematography in the Master, PTA's previous film.

Rather different from the Master was the comedy scenes in the film. The Master was stern and provoked me to think about religion and if human nature could be changed. There was none of that in Inherent Vice. The interplay between the stoner PI and the Feds was comedy. The trip to the Asian massage parlor with the "pussy eaters" special was comedy. I especially liked the Asian Massuese who popped in at inopportune moments mostly as comic relief.

This film was touted as the best film of the year and so far I haven't scene one that matches in terms of story and performace. Boyhood is more ambitious, but the performances aren't as good. The story of Inherent Vice is also better. I guess we shall see which one wins best picture or if it is neither.