Save for Boogie Nights, filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson eschews doing audio commentary tracks, which is a shame because he’s an extremely intelligent and talented guy whose insights would be very much welcome.  Luckily, the next best thing to an Inherent Vice commentary track has arrived by way of a short clip from Anderson’s new film in which the writer/director discusses what’s happening on screen.  The film seems to be a bit divise among folks, but I count myself firmly in the “love it” camp.  It’s a movie that washes over you, and Anderson does an incredible job of lulling the audience into an almost hypnotic state as we follow the hilarious adventures of Joaquin Phoenix’s pothead detective Doc Sportello.  Go in with an open mind and I think you’ll have fun with it.

Anyway, check out the short Inherent Vice commentary track after the jump.  The film also stars Josh Brolin, Katherine Waterston, Owen Wilson, Jena Malone, Reese Witherspoon, Benicio Del Toro, and Martin Short.  Inherent Vice opens in limited release on December 12th before expanding wide on January 9th.

Via The New York Times.

Here’s the official synopsis for Inherent Vice:

“Inherent Vice” is the seventh feature from Paul Thomas Anderson and the first ever film adaption of a Thomas Pynchon novel.  When private eye Doc Sportello’s ex-old lady suddenly out of nowhere shows up with a story about her current billionaire land developer boyfriend whom she just happens to be in love with, and a plot by his wife and her boyfriend to kidnap that billionaire and throw him in a looney bin…well, easy for her to say.  It’s the tail end of the psychedelic `60s and paranoia is running the day and Doc knows that “love” is another of those words going around at the moment, like “trip” or “groovy,” that’s being way too overused – except this one usually leads to trouble.  With a cast of characters that includes surfers, hustlers, dopers and rockers, a murderous loan shark, LAPD Detectives, a tenor sax player working undercover, and a mysterious entity known as the Golden Fang, which may only be a tax dodge set up by some dentists…  Part surf noir, part psychedelic romp – all Thomas Pynchon.