Inherent Vice

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1:53

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

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.

Sep 1, 2017

Full Review

Katie Kilkenny

The Atlantic

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.

Jul 19, 2016

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Jason Bailey

Flavorwire

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

Jun 18, 2016

Full Review

Diane Carson

KDHX (St. Louis)

“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

May 21, 2024

Full Review

Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

…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…

Rated: 3/5

Aug 20, 2023

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

It wants the viewer to experience it more than understand it, and the experience proves a hallucinatory, often hilarious, and fulfilling one as both entertainment and carefully constructed comic art.

Rated: 4/4

Jul 13, 2022

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Stephen A

Should've been named Incoherent Vice...

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

10/18/25

Full Review

Harrison B

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

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

10/04/25

Full Review

Mike L.

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

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

09/30/25

Full Review

Scott L

I'm confused...was this an interview for the burger flip position at Wendy's?!

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

09/18/25

Full Review

Mike V

Inherent Vice is a 2014 American neo-noir mystery stoner comedy film written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson 🍿 While parts of this are clever and interesting, there are large sections which are not which detracts from the overall enjoyment of the film… Not bad, but not my favourite either 😐 Meh, it passed the time. Just. 😐 👍🏼👎🏼 In Los Angeles at the turn of the 1970s, drug-fueled detective Larry "Doc" Sportello investigates the disappearance of an ex-girlfriend.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

09/11/25

Full Review

Michael D

This is the kind of story is cinema gold for some (myself), and complete over-the-top wackadoodle for others. That it takes place back in the 1970s is one reason I liked it. I was living life with a similar reckless abandon during that decade. I'm guessing that all the drugs and craziness that filled this movie were a turn-off to those who lived a more sensible and sedate lifestyle. This was another time that I'm glad that I didn't pay much attention to the ratings.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

09/05/25

Full Review

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Paul Thomas Anderson

Director

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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