Thomas Pynchon’s Inherent Vice published in 2009 is a dense, evocative, complicated
narrative that covers cults, drugs, sex, prostitution, housing, Nazis, the
medical profession and probably a whole host of themes and characters that have
been forgotten all seen through the eyes of Doc Sportello.
Paul Thomas Anderson, who makes dense,
evocative, complicated films obviously saw in Inherent Vice (a book that most would see as unfilmable) a perfect
match. Anderson, with great success, transfers all of Pynchon’s literary
idiosyncrasies on to the screen. The sense of time, the sheer confusion of the
narrative, yet our complete willingness to be taken along for the ride are all
features of both book and film.
Joaquin Phoenix once again proves himself
an actor of incredible versatility as the paradox Doc Sportello, managing to naïve
and knowledgeable at the same time. Phoenix becomes as much a part of West
coast American counter culture as Venice Beach. Read the book and see the film.
It doesn’t matter in what order. Either way just, let Anderson and Pynchon take
you for a trip.
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