Inherent Vice

In the early 1970s Los Angeles, a laid back private investigator named Doc Sportello spends his days drifting through smoky rooms and surf magazines, until his former girlfriend disappears under suspicious circumstances. What begins as a straightforward missing person case quickly spirals into a maze of unreliable informants, shady developers, and a cast of colorful characters. Doc follows a trail of cryptic clues that weave together drug culture, counterculture, and hard boiled noir into a film that looks and sounds like a dream you're waking up from. The investigation tests his wits and his faith in people as he bluffs, misreads, and improvises through a city that feels both familiar and unreal. A loose structure hides danger beneath the fog.

Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, the film adapts Thomas Pynchon's novel with a breezy, off kilter rhythm. It arrived in 2014 and stars Joaquin Phoenix, Josh Brolin, Owen Wilson, Katherine Waterston, and Reese Witherspoon in central roles, and a production.

Though not a blockbuster, Inherent Vice earned a devoted cult following for its sun drenched atmosphere and offbeat humor. Its mix of humor and atmosphere influenced later indie thrillers. The film's visuals and soundtrack helped shape a recognizable look. Fans still cite its distinct mood.

Critics varied in enthusiasm, praising the mood and performances while noting the tangled plot can be elusive. The film probes memory and identity amid paranoia, consumer culture, and legal corruption, delivering a moody meditation rather than a conventional detective story.