But Anderson trades the goofy energy of Pynchon’s prose for a sweeter vibe. Like the book, “Inherent Vice” is enmeshed in Doc’s perpetual bewilderment.
Doc’s never too far from his next joint, and we’re right there with him. Those unfamiliar with the novel may find the details pretty hard to follow - but that’s fine. Everything’s connected and adds up to something, but never all at once. In the meantime, Doc is tasked with tracking down a wayward musician (Owen Wilson) who abandoned his family and faked his death. While attempting to track down his missing ex-girlfriend Shasta (Katherine Waterson) and bust the shady landowner Mickey Wolfman (Eric Roberts), with whom she’s engaged in an affair, he dodges the conspiratorial advances of local police chief “Bigfoot” Bjornsen (Josh Brolin), who harbors dubious motives of his own. Here, the mystified protagonist is Larry “Doc” Sportello (a mutton-chopped Joaquin Phoenix), an eternally doped-up investigator. ‘The Curse’ Premiere Casts a Spell on NYFF, with Nathan Fielder and Benny Safdie in the Audience
