Film Noir is perhaps one of the most interesting movie genres ever made. Its combination of narrative technique with a visual style presents a powerful story against good and evil. It was originally created by been influenced from German expressionism, detective literature and Italian Neoralism. Hollywood made it popular with James Cagney, Humphrey Bogart and Edward G Robinson but later reinterpret for other generations, with directors like Jean Luc Godard (Breathless) John Houston (Chinatown) Robert Altman (The Long Goodbye) Blade Runner (Ridley Scott) Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller (Sin City)

Now Paul Thomas Anderson reinvent the genre of film noir bringing a version with steroids. That's the case of his new film "Inherent Vice" Sasha Fay Hepworth (Katherine Waterson) pay a visit to her ex-boyfriend Larry "Doc"Sportello (Joaquin Phoenix) a private eye from Los Angeles. Sasha ask Doc to help her to protect her new boyfriend Mickey Wolfmann (Eric Roberts) a wealthy real state developer from a plot to abduct Mickey from his wife and wife's lover.

The film leads Doc to meet very colorful and particular characters like Hope (Jena Malone) Dr Rudy Blatnoyd (Martin Short) Coy Harlingen (Owen Wilson) including Doc biggest nemesis Det Christian F "Bigfoot" Bjornsen (Josh Brolin).

Is hard to explain what really happen in Inherent Vice. That's why I refer this film as film noir cop drama on steroids. The level of inconsistency, oddness and weirdness happening, tricks' you, you don't understand clearly what's happening, not even when the female narrator explain it to you. The film contain the basic elements of a cop drama from the 40's or the 70's The problem is what's the story about?

A detective with a ex-girlfriend who needs help, a cop who wants to see the detective down and a millionaire who is been chase by his wife and wife's lover. So the detective still in love of his ex-girlfriend, but still wants to help her. Also the detective wants to help other people at the same time… Phoenix and Brolin are outstanding.

Inherent Vice is a unusual film noir narrated by the singer and actress Joanna Newsom. Her voice will lead the audience to the intricate situations of this film while Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood compose the original score. The soundtrack is really good and the cinematography and costume design are well done.