Cast: Anderson has reached that point where people simply want to be in his movies in any capacity. That's how you get Maya Rudolph in a 2 line, background role or Michael Kenneth Williams in, I believe, one scene. The constant throughout is Joaquin Phoenix, who is allowed to let loose more than I've seen in several movies and he holds this all together. Josh Brolin is on fire, eating up every line he's given. This is the first I've seen of Katherine Waterson and hopefully not the last. She's not in it a lot, but she has one big scene with a continuous take that she is excellent in. Hong Chau has a small, enjoyable, recurring part. Then there's Owen Wilson, Benicio Del Toro, Eric Roberts, Jena Malone, Resse Witherspoon, Martin Short. The list keeps going.
Plot: Uhhh, that's tough, seeing that I missed a lot. It's a dense movie that I'm not sure makes more sense upon deeper examination (by design). Doc (Phoenix) is a P.I. whose ex (Waterson) shows up to get him to investigate the disappearance of her current squeeze, a millionaire name Micky Wolfman (Roberts). From there, it's a matter of Doc digging deeper and deeper into a vast conspiracy. And, that's about the full grasp I have on it. The Big Lebowski comparisons are fair since it is a comedy about a guy who floats through the world with the threat of the drugs he's on distorting what is really happening.
Elephant in the Room: But I thought Pynchon was un-adaptable? That's what I've heard. I'll fess up and admit that I never heard of Thomas Pynchon before this movie. Based on the film though, I get a sense of what would be so difficult about capturing what he does. The narration by Joanna Newsom gives me an idea of his voice and the confusing nature of the plot is probably no accident. Again, I can only guess about this. All I can say is that if this is the result of something that is "unadaptable" then I'm even more impressed by Paul Thomas Anderson.
To Sum Things Up:
This is a strange movie. There's no other way I can say it. It is to be experienced more than understood. It's like no other comedy made this year. Anderson still gets performances every bit as good as in his dramas. I honestly can't say yet if I loved the movie, but hating it is definitely out of the question. All I can say is that the trailer really does do it justice, so if you're on the fence, watch that again and decide.
Verdict (?): Weakly Recommend
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