6) Inherent Vice
Paul Thomas Anderson’s colorful, psychedelic noir about a dazed detective in a hazy town going through a confusing investigation is earning the director some of the most polarizing reviews of his career. Many do not realize the challenge of reading Thomas Pynchon, never mind adapting his work, before buying their ticket. However, like the aforementioned ad for Birdman, this loopy trailer gives the audience a feel of bedazzlement and bewilderment – probably the one that both the author and the auteur are going for.
Inherent Vice’s trailer is downright Pynchon-ian. Joaquin Phoenix’s drifted, drug-addled detective Doc Sportello doesn’t act as much as react to the chaos going on around him. The period-friendly music gives off the easygoing vibe of the setting, yet the harsh cut to black about a minute-and-a-half in depict the dangers of the zeitgeist, as well. The questions, contemplations and repetitive dialogue is sometimes mystifying and hard to follow, just as the author would like it.
With rambling narration that jets right into the setting, a convoluted story and a quirky cast of characters, this is a trailer that could use at least a couple of views to catch all of its treasures. Its unconventional structure, music change-up and offbeat moments of humor give it a personality that gets the audience in the right frame of mind to prepare for the feature. With a manic energy rubbing alongside a stoner vibe, this ad gets the tone of Anderson’s film just right.
