Inherent Vice

The San Francisco Film Society is excited to present a very special advance screening of Inherent Vice! Paul Thomas Anderson’s newest film is an adaptation of Thomas Pynchon’s acclaimed novel featuring an all-star cast that includes Joaquin Phoenix, Josh Brolin, Katherine Waterston, Reese Witherspoon and more. Anderson will appear in person and will participate in a pre-screening conversation about his career and his newest work.

Inherent Vice is the seventh feature from director Paul Thomas Anderson and the first film adaptation of a Thomas Pynchon novel. It’s the tail end of the ’60s and drug-fueled paranoia is running the day. P.I. Doc Sportello (Joaquin Phoenix) knows that “love” is one of those overused words-like “trip” or “groovy”-that usually leads to trouble. When Doc’s ex-girlfriend (Katherine Waterston) shows up with a story about a plot against her billionaire boyfriend, the plot thickens. With a cast of characters that includes surfers, hustlers, dopers, rockers, a murderous loan shark, LAPD detectives, a sax player working undercover and a mysterious entity known as Golden Fang-which may only be a tax dodge set up by some dentist—Inherent Vice is part surf noir, part psychedelic romp and pure Pynchon. —AFI Fest