Adapting a Thomas Pynchon novel was always going to be a challenge. Pynchon’s books, known for their dense, complex and fantastical characteristics, while making fantastic reading, seemed almost impossible to put on the big screen. Yet if anyone was going to do it, it had to be Paul Thomas Anderson, the great current American auteur, whose last two films, There Will Be Blood and The Master, left a lasting impression. Yet Inherent Vice, it pains me to say, does seem like a stumbling block.

There are undoubtedly great aspects to Inherent Vice. First of all the film looks incredible. Shot on 35mm by Robert Elswit and full of vivid colours to match its hippy, free-spirited characters, you can’t help being sucked into the dreamy, weed-infused world of 1970s California. Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood once again provides an incredible score, which, mixed with an incredible soundtrack of 70s hits, makes the film sound amazing.

It’s also not surprising to say that its star-studded cast really knocks it out of the park. Joaquin Phoenix, with his portrayal of dope-loving PI Doc Sportello, shows us once again that, despite his awkward public persona, he is in fact one of the most diverse actors around. Josh Brolin, meanwhile, is laugh-out loud hilarious as LAPD Cop ‘Bigfoot’ Bjornsen. Yet it’s newcomer Katherine Waterson as Sportello’s ex-girlfriend Shasta Fay Hepworth who steals the show. She is only on screen for what feels like a total of 10 minutes, but relishes every moment and I hope to see more of her in the future.

However, Inherent Vice’s main problem is its plot, which is basically incomprehensible. While Anderson maintains that the plot isn’t meant to make sense and is arguably a representation of what our dope-taking hero is experiencing, it makes the film a very frustrating experience. Just when you think you’ve got a grasp of it, Anderson introduces another character with another plot line, and you’re suddenly thrown off course and back to where you started. 

While plot is hardly essential in There Will Be Blood and The Master, their characters are so rich and fascinating that plot and story become an afterthought. Yet Inherent Vice is so plot-heavy and goes at such a rapid pace that you can’t connect with either the story or the characters, leaving you in a clueless state of delusion. Although I stayed till the end, I have to admit that at least 10 people walked out at various parts of the film, suggesting that it was too much for some.

Yet throughout Inherent Vice’s 148-minute running time I was never bored. Anderson is such a fascinating filmmaker that he somehow manages to keep you interested in spite of your reservations. And at the end of the day, from the moment the action kicks in, you can tell that Inherent Vice is a film that demands to be seen more than once.

There’s definitely a great film in there somewhere, and because I love Anderson so much I’m willing to give him my time and watch the film again at some point. However, for viewers looking to see Inherent Vice just the once, you might find yourself walking out before the lights are switched back on.