Read Negative User Reviews for Inherent Vice

1

JohnrieberFeb 7, 2015

Ten minutes in, I think this is a brilliant movie. An hour later, I am frustrated by the choices the Director has made; an hour later I wonder why this story was told at all; it seems designed to annoy and frustrate the viewer...as much as ITen minutes in, I think this is a brilliant movie. An hour later, I am frustrated by the choices the Director has made; an hour later I wonder why this story was told at all; it seems designed to annoy and frustrate the viewer...as much as I tried to appreciate "The Master", I now feel that the Director is way too focused on style over substance, and the storytelling of "Boogie Nights" is nowhere to be seen. All the more frustrating because I wanted to love this film.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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2

dave89791Jan 4, 2015

It's a sort of absurdist/stoner "comedy" which isn't that funny

I've enjoyed all of PTA's prior films to varying degrees though this didn't resonate with me, my wife, or the majority of the audience in Manhattan as far as I could tellIt's a sort of absurdist/stoner "comedy" which isn't that funny

I've enjoyed all of PTA's prior films to varying degrees though this didn't resonate with me, my wife, or the majority of the audience in Manhattan as far as I could tell given the expressions I gathered from fellow theatergoers

All in all, I'd avoid unless you read the book for it and know what you are in for and appreciate this sort of oddball story and aren't expecting anything with any sort of tangible/semi-linear narrative… Expand

5 of 6 users found this helpful51

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2

PangJan 11, 2015

This is the perfect movie for insomniacs. Or people who actually LIKE Thomas Pynchon novels. Only two things will disturb your rest. Josh Brolin, in his relatively limited screen time, manages to inject actual energy into his role. It's worthThis is the perfect movie for insomniacs. Or people who actually LIKE Thomas Pynchon novels. Only two things will disturb your rest. Josh Brolin, in his relatively limited screen time, manages to inject actual energy into his role. It's worth staying awake to see him. And, of course, Katherine Waterston bares all, and that will surely wake you up. Personally, I was glad when I needed to leave the theater for a while and use the facilities. The folks selling popcorn and soda pop were more engaged than anyone on screen ('ceptin' Brolin, of course).… Expand

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

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2

Elijah1990Jan 30, 2015

I do believe everyone is entitled to their opinion, but how a single person was entertained by this film is beyond me. PTA has some great work under his belt (There Will Be Blood, Punch Drunk Love, and Magnolia personal favs) and this isI do believe everyone is entitled to their opinion, but how a single person was entertained by this film is beyond me. PTA has some great work under his belt (There Will Be Blood, Punch Drunk Love, and Magnolia personal favs) and this is easily his worst and least entertaining piece to date. Joaquin mumbles his lines, random characters babble nonsense, a scene ends with an obscene gesture, rinse and repeat. There's no denying there are some great "meandering" films out there, nice camerawork and good actors will only take you so far with a screenplay like this. This was a shrill experience and one of the worst art-house films I've seen in a while.… Expand

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

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2

InsomniackerJan 2, 2015

Does the world need another cinematic stylist whose visual talent is exceeded by his capacity to bore audiences. How about some storytelling basics? I mistakenly bought into reviewers' claim that this was somehow a companion piece toDoes the world need another cinematic stylist whose visual talent is exceeded by his capacity to bore audiences. How about some storytelling basics? I mistakenly bought into reviewers' claim that this was somehow a companion piece to Altman's "Long Goodbye" and, once again, found myself staring at my watch. After this empty exercise and "The Master," I am off PT Anderson for good.… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

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0

thatguythereJan 14, 2015

Another 'has been' director that should quit making movies. Whoever gave him the money for this should be arrested and their assets frozen for all time. Judging by the number of people with me in the theater who got up and left this willAnother 'has been' director that should quit making movies. Whoever gave him the money for this should be arrested and their assets frozen for all time. Judging by the number of people with me in the theater who got up and left this will probably and hopefully be the last anderson film ever. I love this guy, 'hard eight', 'boogie nights' and 'magnolia' were great films. 'magnolia' is hard to watch but it's at the top of my favorites. Everything about the movie is genius. But this movie looks like a bunch of bored, rich actors run amuck. The movie is insulting and I'm not sure if that wasn't really the point. To make a great movie you have to get about a 100 things right all at once. This movie is 0 for 100. It's not just that it's not funny or entertaining. It's nothing. Or, maybe I just wasn't stoned enough ....not sure if there is enough weed in cali to make up for it though.… Expand

3 of 5 users found this helpful32

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1

UCSD1978Jan 7, 2015

No amount of weed could make this movie enjoyable. It's makes me wonder if PTA has ever smoked weed, and made this movie about what he think its like to be a stoner. Plain and simple, it sucks! No PANICAKU!

4 of 7 users found this helpful43

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0

kinoralphJan 21, 2015

This film is so wrong for so many reason. No plot. No characters. No sense. Its like a horrible hangover. I felt stoned.....in a bad way. I have such high hopes for this, but man. what disappointment I love P.T. Anderson but he really let me down.

4 of 7 users found this helpful43

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1

csw12Jan 11, 2015

From the director of the horrible film "The Master" comes another incoherent bore with a running time that's a joke. Inherent Vice is verging on painful to sit through because it really isn't very interesting. I hated this film.

3 of 6 users found this helpful33

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3

movieboyJan 25, 2015

Tedious, pointless, a wast of time. Just can't believe how a great director who has made brilliant films like Boogie Nights, Magnolia and The Master could squander effort on something so meandering and facile.

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

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2

TVJerryJan 14, 2015

I haven't read the Thomas Pynchon novel, but if it's anything like the movie I wouldn't make it thru the first chapter. Set in the early 70s, this California noir revolves around private eye Doc Sportello (Joaquin Phoenix, who is fun toI haven't read the Thomas Pynchon novel, but if it's anything like the movie I wouldn't make it thru the first chapter. Set in the early 70s, this California noir revolves around private eye Doc Sportello (Joaquin Phoenix, who is fun to watch) as he talks and talks and talks in convoluted language about the confusing plot. The story is hard to follow and director Paul Thomas Anderson's oblique style and often-unblinking camera make it even more frustrating. Despite the sparse sprinkling of jokes and the stoner sensibility, the deadly pacing make this meandering mystery a tedious exercise in self-conscious cinema.… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

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1

AxeTFeb 13, 2015

Not stupid or pretentious enough to even waste time seeing this. If you're not onto this sham of a director and his complete lack of talent and story-telling ability, then you deserve what you get. He's a writer who doesn't outline or haveNot stupid or pretentious enough to even waste time seeing this. If you're not onto this sham of a director and his complete lack of talent and story-telling ability, then you deserve what you get. He's a writer who doesn't outline or have any respect whatsoever for the audience. He is anti-audience, anti-Hitchcock, anti-structural coherence. Self indulgent prima donna that never bothers with endings much less what leads up to one. Yet it gets an 81 from critics on here just showing the very unreliable nature of this site's worthiness and worse just how pompous, out of touch, and just plain stupid most film critics are these days. Boycott their reviews, write in demanding their firings, etc. Anything to get the jackasses out.… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

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3

currer_bellAug 11, 2015

This movie sucked c**ks alright! Apart from Joaquim Phoenix brilliant performance - like he always do - this movie is a disaster. I can't remember watching such a long, dull and confusing movie since I don't know when, and it looks almostThis movie sucked c**ks alright! Apart from Joaquim Phoenix brilliant performance - like he always do - this movie is a disaster. I can't remember watching such a long, dull and confusing movie since I don't know when, and it looks almost impossible it was made by the same guy who did the very good " There will be Blood". Safe to say I'll never touch a book written by Thomas Pynchon...… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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2

5thStFreddieJan 15, 2015

Ridiculous exercise in tedium. I can't imagine a more unappealing character than the one Joacquin Phoenix plays, and plays badly. There are a few funny moments in it, but for the most part it's false, pretentious, and ridiculous.Ridiculous exercise in tedium. I can't imagine a more unappealing character than the one Joacquin Phoenix plays, and plays badly. There are a few funny moments in it, but for the most part it's false, pretentious, and ridiculous. Seriously; this is what allegedly smart, indie films have become? This is now what passes for good cinema? Phew.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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0

ProsmoothJan 10, 2015

I suppose it's supposed to be a movie like the 70's noir classic Night Moves with Gene Hackman--but the plot is very hard to follow. This is because the main character is stoned throughout the movie--along with every other character. It wasI suppose it's supposed to be a movie like the 70's noir classic Night Moves with Gene Hackman--but the plot is very hard to follow. This is because the main character is stoned throughout the movie--along with every other character. It was honestly a huge slog to get through. Maybe if I could have followed the plot, I would have enjoyed it more. Also, it's supposed to be a comedy? Maybe? It was a lot like being around actual stoned people at a party who think they are hilarious. They aren't--and neither was this movie. It is very well shot--and the costume and set design looks AMAZING. The music is also fantastic. I gave it a 3. Sorry--but I think it stinks.… Expand

4 of 10 users found this helpful46

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3

LancevDec 14, 2014

This movie really plods along, making it very difficult to stay awake. The Art Direction was beautiful, the acting was terrific, but ultimately the story was incoherent.

4 of 11 users found this helpful47

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3

Lambo442Jan 18, 2015

gimmicky, pseudo-hip nonsense from the usually great Paul Thomas Anderson. This film along with his last one, the Master, have both been dull and not a shadow on the great 'There Will be Blood.'

2 of 7 users found this helpful25

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3

SleepytimeTeaDec 15, 2014

PT Anderson seems to continually make well acted films which start out promisingly and then go absolutely nowhere. It's almost his own genre, with the Coen brothers sometimes churning out similar fare when they feel bored. I'm starting toPT Anderson seems to continually make well acted films which start out promisingly and then go absolutely nowhere. It's almost his own genre, with the Coen brothers sometimes churning out similar fare when they feel bored. I'm starting to think Boogie Nights was a fluke, because he totally nailed everything on that film and outdid the Altman and Cassavetes films he was emulating. Nowadays his movies just feel like an Altman movie that gets eaten by your VCR halfway though. When the tape clears you just see that it was taped over a german scat porn, one where a director is trying really hard to take a dump on a reel of 70mm film. In the end the results are a lot less exciting than we could hope for.… Expand

3 of 11 users found this helpful38

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0

mertz109Oct 25, 2015

When I started watching the movie, it looked promising... but after the first half hour, my stomach started to turn and I realized I was watching a really, really bad movie.

The relationships that this character has with other charactersWhen I started watching the movie, it looked promising... but after the first half hour, my stomach started to turn and I realized I was watching a really, really bad movie.

The relationships that this character has with other characters aren't well-developed (or developed at all), so you spend most of the movie watch the main character having wacky interactions with other characters, with no understanding of what's at stake, why their dynamic is what it is and why it seems that the emotions/behavior of the characters has no connection to what's happening in the story.

Another thing is that behavior of these characters... I have no idea why, but at a certain point, the movie devolves into a wacky cartoon... it's as if someone realized the movie was a steaming pile of crap and thought that acting wacky would somehow entertain the audience.… Expand

1 of 4 users found this helpful13

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0

regaloneFeb 25, 2015

This is the worst crap i've seen in 33 years. I'd rather watch AVP2 10 times in a row than ever have to watch this again. It's boring, slow, not funny, confusing, and without a sense of direction, typical of Paul Anderson latest stuff. ButThis is the worst crap i've seen in 33 years. I'd rather watch AVP2 10 times in a row than ever have to watch this again. It's boring, slow, not funny, confusing, and without a sense of direction, typical of Paul Anderson latest stuff. But the worse of it all is that it's crowed with A-List actors, and not one, except for Joaquin, can add up anything that's worthwhile. It's crap, crap, crap....… Expand

2 of 10 users found this helpful28

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3

LynJun 9, 2015

This is the worst possible kind of time-wasting DVD ... the cast & quirks are good enough that you can't watch while multitasking, yet the loose mumbling & vague plot are just not that interesting. Joaquin Phoenix wears the same expression onThis is the worst possible kind of time-wasting DVD ... the cast & quirks are good enough that you can't watch while multitasking, yet the loose mumbling & vague plot are just not that interesting. Joaquin Phoenix wears the same expression on his mutton-chop mug throughout, that of a clueless Wolfman Jack. He's supposedly a private investigator, but he never seems to have a case (or means of support?) and never investigates anything except the fate & whereabouts of his ex-girlfriend. There are smatterings of "L.A. Confidential" -- minus the wrenching emotion -- and some droll & delightful turns by an excellent supporting cast. Honestly glad when this meandering thing was over, though.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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1

EludiumQ36Sep 4, 2015

What a horribly boring film. I could feel myself age minute by excruciating minute. I tried to bear with it, with its cameos by A/B-list celebs but Phoenix's character was uninteresting along with the grit of the early '70s in Calif. ItWhat a horribly boring film. I could feel myself age minute by excruciating minute. I tried to bear with it, with its cameos by A/B-list celebs but Phoenix's character was uninteresting along with the grit of the early '70s in Calif. It smacks of a straight-to-tv movie they used to feed the public back then. Waste.of.time.… Expand

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

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1

zouz123Mar 18, 2015

What the hell did i just watch, a thriller? comedy? action movie? well i don't give a damn, got bored like a huskey, and wasted 2 hours of my boring life. I don't even know how to explain what this movie is about, because i didn't understandWhat the hell did i just watch, a thriller? comedy? action movie? well i don't give a damn, got bored like a huskey, and wasted 2 hours of my boring life. I don't even know how to explain what this movie is about, because i didn't understand s**t. Maybe i should've been stoned to enjoy it, but i doubt it.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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2

VonSeuxJan 3, 2016

"WTF is going on in this movie?" this is the only thing that I kept thinking, its like the screenwriters were just as doped as the charecters portraid. It has good acting and filming, but I had no clue whatsoever

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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1

OkinAZJan 20, 2015

What a horribly made movie, as well boring. After reading the critics' reviews, I was hoping for a really good movie, but it was so disappointing. The sound was horrible and wish that today's movie would improve upon delivering clearWhat a horribly made movie, as well boring. After reading the critics' reviews, I was hoping for a really good movie, but it was so disappointing. The sound was horrible and wish that today's movie would improve upon delivering clear dialogue. There is no excuse, especially when one can pull up a 40's movie where the audio and sound is so much more crisp. Today, the audio/sound is all left up to artistic interpretation of the movie, by whom, I do not know. But, there was so much dialogue in this movie that was lost in the translation due to the poor audio. Given that, the storyline was so shallow, boring, leaving one thinking that sooner or later something good/important was about to happen. Oh well, so many other better movies made this year. Last, the movie could very well done away with the monotonous female voice speaking throughout the movie, describing the emotions, whatever, of the movie. Pathetic. People around us, including my friend all were going to sleep in the movie theater, if that tells anyone anything.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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1

JP32Feb 4, 2019

The best I can say of Inherent Vice is that it's The Big Lebowski without the laughs, memorable characters, or charm. In fact, it's more like the demented, Bizarro cousin of The Big Lebowski, where everything good about that film has beenThe best I can say of Inherent Vice is that it's The Big Lebowski without the laughs, memorable characters, or charm. In fact, it's more like the demented, Bizarro cousin of The Big Lebowski, where everything good about that film has been twisted into something horrible.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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3

Murphydh1Mar 1, 2020

PT Anderson never delivers.. THe incoherent dis jointed plot could be forgiven if there was a twist or compelling mystery. Stoners just aren't as interesting as this movie wants them to be

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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