Inherent Vice

So....where to begin with this one.

Dope head, Larry "Doc" Sportello is visited by his ex-girlfriend, Shasta Fay Hepworth (Katherine Waterston) regarding Mickey Wolfmann, (Eric Roberts) Shasta's current lover. Shasta claims that a plot is being put into motion to have Mickey placed into an insane asylum by Mickey's wife. While looking into the query, Doc accidentally becomes the prime suspect in a murder.

After being questioned by Detective Christian "Bigfoot" Bjornsen (Josh Brolin) about the murder. Doc gets turned on to a case about a missing musician: Coy Harlingen (Owen Wilson). Once finding Coy alive and well, Doc realizes that he is spiraling down further into a case about the mysterious: "Golden Fang". With drugs and killer hair, Doc continues to march on in an attempt to solve the cases.

Honestly, those paragraphs barely scratch the surface of what is a truly meandering, yet highly-enjoyable film from Paul Thomas Anderson. The film seems to feel within the wheelhouse, though, of PT Anderson with multiple characters jockeying for screen time amongst a convoluted and dense plot. Joaquin Phoenix does a solid job as the drug-hazed Doc who really does not understand the plot, along with the audience, as he stumbles from one clue to the other. Josh Brolin, though, stands out as the tough-as-nails, yet vulnerable Bigfoot. His gruff persona acts as a stark contrast to the others in the film. And you'll never have more fun watching someone eat a frozen banana.

Not having read the book by Thomas Pynchon that the film is based off, Inherent Vice the film is more about the characters and setting. Throwing out what seems to be a plot that's more confusing than the film deserves, I gave up trying to follow what was going on and just enjoyed the ride. And if you can get over not really caring about where the story is leading (if it's leading anywhere) then there is enough enjoyment within the stable of actors that PT Anderson has corralled.

My main issue doesn't actually come regarding the film; but moreso with PT Anderson himself. I am still a huge fan, yet am growing worried with his film as of late that seem to disregard plot and focus more on just acting. I have enjoyed The Master and Inherent Vice, but wish that a more substantial (or in Inherent Vice's case) reduced plot to make a more entertaining movie-going experience. Both, this film and The Master have been enjoyable, I just wish there was a little less meandering and more focus on a streamlined plot.

As is, Inherent Vice will be a film that divides people, but I came away with a film that I enjoyed throughout and am glad I experienced it.

7.0/10

Savages

Ah, Jesus. Oliver Stone is back.

And I don't mean back as in: "The master has returned!" I mean that more as "Oliver Stone made another movie. Son of a bitch." I guess on the bright side, this is not the watered down PG-13 Oliver Stone that filled theaters throughout the first decade of the 2000's. Unfortunately, making a film R-rated is not a return to glory for Oliver Stone.

Told to us through annoying and on-the-nose narration by main character Ophelia "O" Sage, (Blake Lively) we find that O lives with two guys from very different backgrounds. Chon (Taylor Kitsch) is a former Navy SEAL who has smuggled marijuana seeds from Afghanistan and has partnered with much more relaxed Ben (Aaron Johnson) to produce a lucrative marijuana business. O is in love with both of them for different reasons and all three live what is shown to be a normal life.

Ben and Chon meet with a powerful Mexican drug cartel about becoming partners in the marijuana business. Ben and Chon refuse the offer and decide to give up their business and bring O with them to Indonesia. Before that can happen, though, the cartel's enforcer Lado, (Benicio Del Toro) on orders from the cartel's leader Elena (Salma Hayek) kidnaps O in retaliation for their refusal.

After consulting with DEA Agent Dennis, (John Travolta) who likes to play all sides, Ben and Chon decide to retaliate against Lado, Elena and the members of their cartel. The rest of the film plays out by showing both sides of this equation: Ben and Chon trying to get O back and Elena, Lado and O and their situation.

There was not much to enjoy about this film. John Travolta and his few minutes are very over the top and I was glad he was in the film only sporadically. Ben and Chon and their rescue attempt of O never sucked me in as I wanted, mainly because I did not care one bit about their story.

The only story and characters that generated any interest from me were Salma Hayek and Benicio Del Toro. I think my interest for the character of Elena mainly came about as Salma Hayek rarely gets a chance to play a main villain like she does here. Far more interesting is Benicio Del Toro's Lado. He provides menace and some dark humor and creates an interesting character. I would have rather had Ben, Chon and O's story just go away and focus on the Lado character as I'm sure this would have made for a much more interesting film.

Which brings me to Oliver Stone. This film feels like he is forcing himself to try and replicate what made him a sought after director in the first place. He tackles a controversial subject, throws a bunch of extremes and uses various filmmaking techniques that resemble a low rent copycat of Natural Born Killers. What it comes down to, is that Oliver Stone does not seem to have his heart in this film. All of this film feels like he is forcing himself to make something that his heart isn't into.

This entire film just never feels like anyone, maybe except for Benicio Del Toro has their heart into this film. Oliver Stone made a film that is a pale imitation of many of his earlier films.

4.4/10