It's based after a book by Thomas Pynchon, who's great at writing very surreal, absurd, and outrageously complex stories. He's like the perfect post-modernist basically (Gravity's Rainbow and Mason & Dixon are his best, imo.)

Inherent Vice is basically his most straightforward and adaptable book. I didn't find it interesting honestly, it felt too much like Fear and Loathing, but I think it was pretty personal for Pynchon.

But even though it's his most "adaptable" book, it features all of his hallmarks like vast conspiracies, paranoia, counter culture, and alternate histories. His writing style is super fragmented, and in great books like Gravity's Rainbow, you can have multiple storylines, jokes, dramas, and settings in one run-on sentence that lasts for pages.

In the movie, the director did his best to bring that style to screen, but even as a huge fan of the both the author and director, it didn't do much for me.

My advice? Don't try to follow it. You know less than the characters, and they don't know anything at all. Just see where it takes you, enjoy the visuals and soundtrack, and see what it makes you feel.

There's some great scenes in the movie, but I wouldn't say it's a great movie despite some scenes being pure 10/10.

How far in are you?