Inherent Vice (2014)
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A fumbling private investigator navigates a labyrinth of criminal underworlds and counterculture in 1970s Los Angeles.
The story
In 1970, Larry "Doc" Sportello, a well-intentioned but fumbling stoner, hippie, and private investigator in Gordita Beach, Los Angeles, becomes entangled in a complex web of intrigue. After his ex-girlfriend, Shasta Fay Hepworth, seeks his help regarding her wealthy new lover, Doc finds himself investigating three cases linked by the disappearance of the man and the mysterious activities of a group known as the Golden Fang. As he navigates the hazy lines between the criminal underworld and the local counterculture, Doc must uncover the truth behind a series of disappearances and a mysterious drug smuggling operation while evading the watchful eyes of the authorities.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1970, Doc Sportello, a hippie private investigator, is hired by his ex-girlfriend Shasta to protect her new wealthy boyfriend, Mickey Wolfmann. Simultaneously, Doc is hired by Tariq Khalil to find a debt-ridden associate, and by Hope Harlingen to find her missing husband, Coy. The investigation leads Doc into a maze involving a massage parlor, a mysterious drug smuggling operation called the Golden Fang, and a cult-run asylum. He discovers that Coy is actually a police informant and that the FBI is attempting to frame various groups for the crimes of the Golden Fang. After a series of dangerous encounters, including a confrontation with the ruthless Adrian Prussia, Doc manages to navigate the conspiracy. He eventually secures Coy's release and returns the stolen drugs to the Golden Fang to ensure the safety of those involved. The film concludes with Doc and Shasta driving off together, acknowledging that while they are not back together, they have survived the labyrinthine ordeal.
- First release year
- 2014
- Runtime (minutes)
- 149
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Paul Thomas Anderson
- Writers
- Paul Thomas Anderson · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Joaquin Phoenix · Larry "Doc" Sportello; Josh Brolin; Owen Wilson; Katherine Waterston; Reese Witherspoon; Benicio del Toro; Jena Malone; Maya Rudolph; Martin Short; Joanna Newsom
- Genres
- neo-noir; black comedy; crime; romantic comedy-drama
- Themes
- Counterculture; Drug Trade; Conspiracy
- Tone and mood
- Neo-noir; Comedy; Surreal
- Premise and plot tags
- Detective; Stoner; Drug Trade; 1970s
- Source material / true-story basis
- 2009 novel by Thomas Pynchon
- Reception
- The film received positive reviews from critics, with many praising the performances, costumes, and screenplay, but some criticizing the complicated plot. It is considered a cult film.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 81 · scale: 100 · review count: 43; IGN · score: 8.9 · scale: 10
- Awards and nominations
- Best Adapted Screenplay · Academy Awards · 87th · Nomination; Best Costume Design · Academy Awards · 87th · Nomination; Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy · Golden Globe Awards · 72nd · Nomination
- Production trivia
- First Pynchon novel to be adapted for the screen.; The film was ranked 75th in a 2016 BBC poll of the best films since 2000.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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