My explanation of the film/book.

This film isn't hard to understand. It's about how times change. It's about the death of the 60's. Shasta represents the changing times, as does Bigfoot's old partner. Doc loved the 60's. This is why the film begins in 1970s. The 60's, like Shasta, are gone. But she shows back up in the beginning, dressed definitely, rocking 70's fashion, no longer the little surfer hippie chick from the 60's.

Doc goes on an adventure to understand, essentially, why the culture and world around him that he loved so much, the 60's peace and love movement and such, are gone.

Bigfoot is a clean cut cop for the most part. He is in deep mourning because he lost his old partner. Bigfoot loved his partner. This is hinted at throughout the film and why Bigfoot uses the phallic symbol banana to help eat his way through his grieving process. Bigfoot loved the 50's. Bigfoot's partner was the 50's. He was the changing time, just like Shasta. When that straight laced era of the 50's ended, gone was Bigfoot's partner. Doc and Bigfoot are in the same exact boat. They are attached to an era in time that couldn't help but change.

When the film explains what Inherent Vice means, what does it say?

"Inherent vice in a maritime insurance policy is anything that you can't avoid. Eggs break, chocolate melts, glass shatters, and Doc wondered what that meant when it applied to ex-old ladies. "

Inherent Vice is anything you can't avoid. Eggs break. Chocolate melts. TIMES CHANGE.

The point of the entire film is that times change. Shasta is inherent vice. Bigfoot's old partner is inherent vice. They are the changing times. Bigfoot was in love with and attached to the 50's. Look at him. He is the perfect representation of the 50's in his appearance and demeanor. Doc was in love with the 60's. He's the stereotypical acid taking stoner surfer hippie from the 60's. The people they are in love with represent the times they loved, but you can't avoid the changing times. So both of these two characters are in mourning and looking for a reason why.

Was it the heroin that changed everything? Was it crooks taking advantage of the real estate market, making people have to over pay for shelter? What is the cause? Doc and Bigfoot go on an adventure to figure it out, but do they? What is the cause?

The cause is inherent vice. The name of the film and book. You cannot avoid the changing of times.

This is what the movie and book are alll about. Read the book if you didn't understand the film. It's an easier Pynchon novel and it definitely helps to get a grasp on what's going on in the film.

Voted biggest @sshole and role model of the year.