I read some of Thomas Pynchon’s books a long time ago (V and Gravity’s Rainbow are all time favorites) but never got to Inherent Vice, so I didn’t come into this movie with much in the way of preconceptions. Considering Pynchon’s verbose, strange characters, it seemed like Joachim Phoenix could be a good character. Having waited a long time for someone to attempt a movie of a Pynchon book, I do give Paul Thomas Anderson (The Master, There Will Be Blood) credit for trying, but I wish it were better.
In a twisted, labyrinthian plot, Larry Sportello (Phoenix) is a hippie stoner private eye back in the 60’s. In a neo-psychedelic-noir plot, Sportello finds himself in a search for a land developer who has apparently been kidnapped by his wife and her lover. The developer’s girlfriend has come to Sportello for help. Numerous characters, especially detective Bigfoot Bjornson (played by Josh Brolin), a semi-corrupt, abusive cop, populate a southern California full of 60’s neo-noir characters, sex, drugs and GOK what else.
What did I think of this movie? Sadly, compared to my general experience of Pynchon (I have not read this book), I found it lacking. Pynchon’s books are some of my all time favorites, although I do admit that I have NO idea how they could ever be filmed. The fun of Pynchon is in his amazing writing, dialog and strange surrealism. Vice did mechanically duplicate this feel, but, as a movie, I just thought it was too verbose, mechanically perfect, but not engaging enough. Maybe I just have not spent enough time stoned recently to appreciate the humor, but I wanted things to just move on. The endless chatter of Sportello just was not engaging enough to keep my interest, in spite of the fact that I like Phoenix and wanted this movie to work. Compared to the best of non-neo Noir films and their focused, condensed dialog Vice just seemed to ramble too much. It was a noble attempt but I admit to being disappointed.
Technically, it was fine, with excellent non-digital cinematography, engaging acting and a full range of 60’s scenarios, but I kept wanting it to move on….finish up the story. As always, Joachin Phoenix is as good as he can be, as is Josh Brolin, but also, unfortunately I thought the trailer was better than the movie.
