Inherent Vice - a movie that goes where exactly?

ARCHIVED: Anyone for "Inherent Vice"?—a movie of sorts, that sets a new standard for fluid and incomprehensible. It's a rare film where the trailer flows in a straighter line than the flick itself.

Joaquin Phoenix in charactor 

But then we're talking a weed whacking '70s LA backdrop, and Paul Thomas Anderson, who apparently placed, end-to-end, a string of semi-non sequiturs and hazy imagery, that like a traffic accident, can't easily be ignored.

Leaving the theater dazed and confused I sought insight from a more clear-headed source and found the following New Yorker review both insightful and comforting. Before reading it, I too had imagined Inherent Vice somewhat reminiscent of "American Hustle" and Altman's "The Long Goodbye", which wasn't a period piece, but more quirky gem of its period. The review, and others, explained a lot—I suggest giving it and the ghost-of-Ebert review a look before heading off to the theater.

Starting with Joaquin Phoenix, sporting early Joe Cocker mutton chops and hairstyle, the cast is an eclectic assortment of new and familiar notable odd-balls, like Owen Wilson, Benicio del Toro, Martin Short, Eric Roberts, and traditionally less out there players like Reese Witherspoon and Josh Brolin. All do their part to make us wonder if this is just what the early '70s looked and sounded like, or if something isn't quite right because everyone involved was actually stoned throughout the production. Maybe a bit of both; I can't really say.

Clearly this film is not for everyone. But after seeing it you may agree that it's a wild ride to somewhere, even if you're not entirely sure to where.