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Inherent Vice

Play trailer 1:53 Poster for Inherent Vice R 2015 2h 28m Comedy Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
73% Tomatometer 252 Reviews 53% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
In a California beach community, private detective Larry "Doc" Sportello 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 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. Go to Full Review 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. Go to Full Review 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. Go to Full Review 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. Go to Full Review 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 Go to Full Review 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… Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Owen Z @Hotebylaw Mar 6 Read the book, see it a few times. Be a Pynchon fan and have read most of his other books. Yeah it absolutely perfect. It’s SO fun and FUNNY. MOTTO PANAKAKU. See more 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. See more David B @Dobishop Jan 5 Laugh out loud funny if you’re paying attention. See more 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! See more Stephen A @Steve1000 Oct 18 Should've been named Incoherent Vice... See more Harrison B @emailaddress Oct 4 Feels like an unfunny ripoff of The Big Lebowski. Muddled and forgettable. See more 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 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
JoAnne Sellar, Daniel Lupi
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