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Paul Thomas Anderson Has 'Inherent Vice' for Robert Downey Jr

by Ethan Anderton
December 2, 2010
Source: Vulture

Since September brought the news that The Master, the next film from one of my favorite directors, Paul Thomas Anderson, had been delayed indefinitely, some of us have been wondering what would be next for the filmmaker. It looks like we might have our answer as Vulture has learned Anderson is keen on adapting Thomas Pynchon's recent novel Inherent Vice. The story follows Larry "Doc" Sportello, a pothead private eye wandering through the Summer (and winter) of Love in 1969 Los Angeles. Even more enticing is the fact that Anderson's agency wants none other than Robert Downey Jr. to take the lead role in this new venture.

Of course, Downey's involvement is far from official, and even if the actor wanted to take the role, his schedule is so overloaded, the movie probably wouldn't get made until 2013. However, since Anderson doesn't exactly rush to the next project between films (he last delivered There Will Be Blood in 2007) maybe they can work something out down the road. Otherwise, Vulture points out that Philip Seymour Hoffman, a regular Anderson collaborator who was already set to star in The Master, could fit in the role just as well.

In addition, it sounds like one of the big stars would be the film's soundtrack. The Amazon review for the book sites "rock & roll fanboy love on every page" and even provides an entire listing of songs featured or referenced in the book itself. For a more in-depth look at the world in which the story and Sportello exist, Pynchon has provided some insight in this video here. I'd love to see this project come together with Anderson at the helm, but then again, I'm excited about any project with Paul Thomas Anderson. How about you?

Related categories: Casting, Movie News, Opinions

http://holyshitisetthehouseonfire.blogspot.com David

The book is fantastic. I think Phillip Seymour Hoffman would play a better Doc seeing as how he has the rugged look. Had Jeff Bridges not already played Lebowsky I'd say he'd be the best. But Doc's similarities to Lebowsky (get stoned) are enough that it may be too much of re-hashing. I hope this actually gets made!
crumb

meh. the entire time I read this book i felt that pynchon had lost something; Doc is almost the exact same as The Dude. It's going to be very hard to make a distinction between the two characters, but if anyone can do it, it's Paul Thomas Anderson. He is a master. Hoffman is also a master, so i'd love if they grabbed him. I haven't seen him in anything new since The Boat That Rocked.
http://holyshitisetthehouseonfire.blogspot.com David

I'm curious as to what you think Pynchon lost?
crumb

His love for words, i suppose. Or maybe he lost the enthusiasm to properly craft his work, or fully think it out. Not saying INHERENT VICE wasn't decent; it's better than most junk that comes out. But compared to V. or GRAVITY'S RAINBOW, it's not quite up to his level. I guess, what i'm really saying, is that i'd rather see something other than INHERENT VICE made into a film, because I think it is his worst crafted story/protagonist. but this is paul thomas anderson we're talking about, the man who took Sinclairs' lesser known/respected works and turned it into the brilliant TWBB, so i have no idea what i'm worrying about.