Inherent Vice – Hookers and dentists make fun if questionable entertainment

Bizarre, wacky and confusing but possibly satisfying, that’s the best I can say about Inherent Vice. Paul Thomas Anderson’s recent work, particularly There Will Be Blood, has a habit of achieving greatness when re-watching a year later expecting the initially off-putting pace. Will Inherent Vice fall into this category? Probably not, but it’s still a film by a man who is doing that rare thing of unashamedly making films solely for himself.

In 1970s California private eye and stoner Doc (Joaquin Phoenix) is visited by an ex who fell in with the wrong crowd. She asks Doc to investigate a property developer with some shady goings on, leading him on a confusing haze of drug fuelled adventure encountering hookers, gangsters and dentists.

The plot twists and turns, but never in a surprising way as the film never lets us settle in, starting almost mid-conversation with no real introduction. This is a comedy, feeling more like The Naked Gun than anything Anderson has done before. The jokes are over the top and zany, sometimes sitting uncomfortably alongside the story. He tries too hard to be a joker, and a few omitted may have benefited the film.

That saying it’s never dull, with every scene bringing a new surprise. Phoenix is fantastic as always and when he shares the screen with Josh Brolin’s straight faced cop Bigfoot the film shines. As with all Anderson films it looks and sounds amazing, with a beautifully shot California and Jonny Greenwood continuing to prove he’s a master at film music.

This may well not be very good, but I’m reluctant to write it off, yet. Go see if you’re an Anderson fan, otherwise wait, and then maybe wait a bit longer.

3 out of 5

Jupiter Ascending – Wachowski’s try too hard to please everyone

This is messy. It didn’t have to be but the Wachowski’s try too hard to please everyone. Maybe after a few box-office flops they were desperate for a hit, but Jupiter Ascending is a muddled mess of something for every demographic but not enough of anything to please.

Mila Kunis plays Jupiter Jones; daughter of an immigrant toilet-cleaner whose life gets turned upside down when pointy-eared hybrid Caine (Channing Tatum) informs her that she is the reincarnation of a Queen destined to inherit Earth. Unlucky for her the people of Earth are a valuable commodity that when ‘harvested’ produce a liquid that can keep you young forever. Royalty from distant galaxies and their henchmen show up determined to kill Jupiter and take Earth. Luckily for her Caine is quite the warrior with some very cool flying boots and the loyalty of a dog.

Early on in the film there’s a spectacular set-piece where space ships and flying men battle it out in Chicago. It’s amazing to behold and shows the visual skill the Wachowskis have. Unfortunately this is as good as it gets. The visuals rarely impress after that and the emotional depth they obtained with Cloud Atlas is absent, instead resulting in way too many words spoken by way too many people.

Tatum is great as always, but other than that the rest of the cast have little to work with. Kunis is in automatic with no real insight or enjoyment from her character, other than to react, and recent Oscar-nominee Eddie Redmayne hams it up way too much as whispering villain Balem.

The Wachowskis can do great things, unfortunately this isn’t it.

2 out of 5