Phoenix and Brolin and Del Toro Scene

Director Paul Thomas Anderson rather oddly described Inherent Vice as being inspired by Zucker movies like The Naked Gun and Airplane.

Its not...but it sure is funny in various ways in various scenes.

One of my favorites is when PI Doc Spotoro(a dazed Joaquin Phoenix) and his friendly nemesis Bigfoot the cop(Josh Brolin, channeling Jack Webb except emotional) are sparring at police HQ and Doc's "lawyer" enters the scene: Benecio del Toro , wearing a sea captain's hat so as to reveal that he is a "maritime lawyer" and not necessarily the best type of lawyer to be representing Doc.

The lines:

Del Toro: I'm an expert in maritime law.
Brolin: Well right now the charges are theft and murder, but I suppose we could throw pirates in.

Del Toro: You don't have a case. I don't think this will ever get to trial.
Brolin: I think it will get to trial easy. And he'll be convicted. Unless a jury of hippies aquits this guy(Doc)
Del Toro: You could move the case down to Orange County...fewer hippies..
Doc: Hey, I thought you were MY lawyer.

Doc's comment reveals (as often in the movie) that he's smarter than he sounds at first.

and this:

Brolin: I think I've decided to kick you..
Del Toro: Kick him? That's assault!
Doc: I think he means "kick" in the vernacular...throw my case out.

And so forth and so on. Very funny in a low key way.

Disclaimer: I remembered those lines from memory, paraphrased. I think in the movie, they are funnier.