Stoner P.I. Doc Sportello (Joaquin Phoenix) is asked by his ex-girlfriend (Katherine Waterstone) to investigate whether or not her new real estate magnate boyfriend (Eric Roberts) is being set up for involuntary commitment by his wife (Serena Scott Thomas). Along the way, Doc finds neo-Nazis, a diversified smuggling ring, a coked-out dentist (Martin Short), an insurrectionist snitch of a sax player (Owen Wilson), and the world's angriest LAPD detective (Josh Brolin).
I'm not usually a fan of 70s-inspired counterculture but this reminded me a lot of The Nice Guys: a fun, funny detective movie that recognizes darkness but leans towards absurdity. Brolin and Phoenix play well off of each other as comedic partners, and their performances anchor the movie, which could have been in danger of collapsing under the weight of how many stars were in it.
It's currently streaming on Kanopy.
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