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Inherent Vice

Play trailer 1:53 Poster for Inherent Vice R 2015 2h 28m Comedy Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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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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Inherent Vice

Inherent Vice

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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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Critics Reviews

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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 Full Review 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 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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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 stephen b Felt like it was trying to recreate the Big Lebowski with just too many twists and turns that the editing couldn't make it coherent. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 08/09/25 Full Review Read all reviews
Inherent Vice

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Cast & Crew

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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

Reese Witherspoon

Penny

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Inherent Vice

Inherent Vice: 'Paranoia' Trailer Inherent Vice: 'Paranoia' Trailer 1:53 Inherent Vice: Trailer 1 Inherent Vice: Trailer 1 2:08 View more videos
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Inherent Vice

Joaquin Phoenix as Larry "Doc" Sportello in "Inherent Vice." Katherine Waterston as Shasta Fay Hepworth and Joaquin Phoenix as Larry "Doc" Sportello in "Inherent Vice." Joaquin Phoenix as Larry "Doc" Sportello in "Inherent Vice." Reese Witherspoon as Deputy D.A. Penny Kimball and Joaquin Phoenix as Larry "Doc" Sportello in "Inherent Vice." (L-R) Joaquin Phoenix as Larry "Doc" Sportello and Owen Wilson as Coy Harlingen in "Inherent Vice." (L-R) Joaquin Phoenix as Larry "Doc" Sportello and Benicio Del Toro as Sauncho Smilax, Esq in "Inherent Vice." (L-R) Michelle Sinclair as Clancy Charlock, Maya Rudolph as Petunia Leeway and Joaquin Phoenix as Larry "Doc" Sportello in "Inherent Vice." (L-R) Joanna Newsom as Sortilège, Joaquin Phoenix as Larry "Doc" Sportello and Katherine Waterston as Shasta Fay Hepworth in "Inherent Vice." (L-R) Josh Brolin as Lt. Det. Christian F. "Bigfoot" Bjornsen, Benicio Del Toro as Sauncho Smilax, Esq and Joaquin Phoenix as Larry "Doc" Sportello in "Inherent Vice." Sasha Pieterse as Japonica Fenway and Martin Short as Dr.Rudy Blatnoyd, D.D.S. in "Inherent Vice." View more photos

Movie Info

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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