Adapted from Thomas Pynchon's gonzo 2009 novel, Inherent Vice stars Joaquin Phoenix as Larry ''Doc'' Sportello, a shambling SoCal PI investigating the disappearance of his ex-girlfriend's wealthy boyfriend. Along the way, he uncovers a pileup of conspiracies and faked deaths, heroin cartels and pimps. The cast includes Josh Brolin as a hippie-hating L.A. cop, Owen Wilson as a surf-band saxophonist, and Reese Witherspoon as a deputy DA and Doc's part-time squeeze. Director Paul Thomas Anderson drew inspiration from a certain hard-boiled Raymond Chandler classic as well as the stoner stalwarts behind Up in Smoke. ''Paul said it has elements of The Long Goodbye and Cheech & Chong,'' says Katherine Waterston, the newcomer (and daughter of Law & Order's Sam Waterston) who plays the femme fatale. ''It's hard to explain tonally.'' (Maybe The Bong Goodbye?) And in a film that swings between suspense and absurdity, prepare for a hit of magic realism. ''A piece of fruit plays a major role. It's frozen. And it's my friend,'' teases Brolin. ''Even talking about it now is making me chuckle.''