The movie itself was not incredible, but the main character was nicely designed, with unpredictable behavior and feelings stronger than they seem. The other characters all had their unique parts, but they were all made so that Doc's personality would stand out. The funny part was its similarity with a film noir, but I do not intend to give spoilers

Have to admit , i did not see this coming . may be the best way to enjoy a movie is to watch it without expectations . i watched it due to Joaquin Phoenix and was everything i want a movie to be , great script with unbelievable chemistry and it is hilariously funny , in fact it is one of the best comedy , and it is a piece of art . i thank every one involved in the movie . i loved it .

A private investigator with a love of vice is drawn into a dark and convoluted world of crime and corruption through his love of a woman who used to be his girlfriend. Some sort of modern noir, absolutely brand new in its candid depiction of everything the original noirs only hinted at, but also delighting in the ridiculous tropes of the genre. Leading us in directions we didn't expect and don't necessarily understand, the connections pile up like the ash of a joint and at the end we are left a little dazed and confused.

This movie is a convoluted mess, I can't even explain what the story line is. Phoenix is in every scene, never sitting up normally, always lying down, or sprawled on the floor after a pummeling, and constantly smoking weed, and there's the annoying voice over. If you like David Lynch movies then this movie is for you. Don't try to make sense of it, just marvel that someone would waste their time trying to adapt it from a book that is ranked No. 32,833 on Amazon. It rambles on so much that you will completely forget what the main plot is supposed to be. Case in point: There are 110 cast members listed in the credits, I defy anyone to recall what was said by any one of them, and more importantly how they contributed to the plot. The budget was $20 million, small in comparison to the typical Hollywood film and the opening weekend was an abysmal $328,000, word of mouth certainly worked in this case. Save yourself the cost of renting it and just have someone you really don't care for explain the plot to you, in depth, so you can have another reason to dislike that person even more.