Inherent Vice

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Inherent Vice

R

2015

2h 28m

Comedy

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

73%

Tomatometer

252 Reviews

53%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

In a California beach community, private detective Larry "Doc" Sportello (Joaquin Phoenix) tends to work his cases through a smoky haze of marijuana. One day, Shasta, a former lover, arrives out of the blue to plead for Doc's help; it seems that Shasta's current beau, rich real-estate tycoon Mickey Wolfmann, has a wife who may be plotting to commit him to a mental hospital. When Mickey and Shasta both disappear, Doc navigates a psychedelic world of surfers, stoners and cops to solve the case.

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Critics Consensus

Inherent Vice may prove frustrating for viewers who demand absolute coherence, but it does justice to its acclaimed source material -- and should satisfy fans of director P.T. Anderson.

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Candice Frederick

Reel Talk Online

09/01/2017

If I'm going fawn over a puzzling film, I'd rather it be something like Inception or The Matrix, movies that entertain me but also provoke so much thought and analysis that I can't take my mind off it.

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Katie Kilkenny

The Atlantic

07/19/2016

If the adaptation's a little too faithful to sustain a cinematically tight story, there's still a lot to admire in the sheer, uninhibited folly of the whole thing, the gall to get groovy while the Oscar-watchers are on high alert.

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Jason Bailey

Flavorwire

06/18/2016

After a decade spent making two films that are like pressure cookers, Anderson was clearly ready to blow off some steam.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Dec 26

3/4

This sprawling adaptation of Thomas Pynchon’s sprawling 2009 novel locates a mystery worthy of Sam Spade and Philip Marlowe and basically sends in Cheech and Chong to crack the case.

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Diane Carson

KDHX (St. Louis)

05/21/2024

“Inherent Vice” works best as a “go with the flow” experience. To enjoy, it calls for surrender to its irreverent mockery and its illogical juxtapositions

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

08/20/2023

3/5

…the fun here is in collecting the salty, elusive details, not what they add up to…‘…like The Rockford Files directed by Alexandro Jodorowsky, PT Anderson’s adaptation of Thomas Pynchon’s book makes a good fist of bringing a very tricky narrative to life…

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Jack F

@MovieFan111 Jan 18

I didn't really understand it, but I loved the cast and the story seemed cool. It wasn't really what I was expecting. I thought it was gonna be trippier. But it's been one I've always wanted to see. I'll watch it again someday.

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David B

@Dobishop Jan 5

Laugh out loud funny if you’re paying attention.

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Murky S

@MarvinS Nov 18

For me personally, the stoner conversations are just too annoying and stereotypical. Because of this, the film somehow never manages to pick up the right pace. It's a shame, because the look of the cast and everything else is actually so good!

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Stephen A

@Steve1000 Oct 18

Should've been named Incoherent Vice...

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Harrison B

@emailaddress Oct 4

Feels like an unfunny ripoff of The Big Lebowski. Muddled and forgettable.

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Mike L.

@MightyMyKlee Sep 30

Like someone was trying to do Big Lebowski, but failed miserably.

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Paul Thomas Anderson

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Joaquin Phoenix

Doc Sportello

Josh Brolin

Bigfoot Bjornsen

Owen Wilson

Coy Harlingen

Katherine Waterston

Shasta Ray Hepworth

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Inherent Vice: 'Paranoia' Trailer

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Inherent Vice: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

In a California beach community, private detective Larry "Doc" Sportello (Joaquin Phoenix) tends to work his cases through a smoky haze of marijuana. One day, Shasta, a former lover, arrives out of the blue to plead for Doc's help; it seems that Shasta's current beau, rich real-estate tycoon Mickey Wolfmann, has a wife who may be plotting to commit him to a mental hospital. When Mickey and Shasta both disappear, Doc navigates a psychedelic world of surfers, stoners and cops to solve the case.

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Producer: Paul Thomas Anderson, JoAnne Sellar, Daniel Lupi
Screenwriter: Paul Thomas Anderson
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Ghoulardi Film Company, Joanne Sellar
Rating: R (Graphic Nudity|Drug Use Throughout|Language|Sexual Content|Some Violence)
Genre: Comedy, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 9, 2015, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 17, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $8.1M
Runtime: 2h 28m
Sound Mix: Datasat, Dolby Digital

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