of the word. He’s a delightfully odd guy and a constant joy to watch. He’s the kind of guy you'd love to grab a beer with, and Joaquin Phoenix plays him fantastically. Some of his best scenes are the ones where he plays off of Josh Brolin’s character, Christian F. “Bigfoot” Bjornsen, a detective with the LAPD who Doc has several run-ins with throughout the film. Bigfoot is a staunch and hard-headed individual who takes himself far too seriously and who respects Doc far too little, so when these two characters come together, naturally sparks are going to fly, and obviously it’s going to be entertaining. However, the real source of entertainment with this character comes from the bizarre air of absurdity surrounding him. Bigfoot, when he lets his facade down, is every bit as odd as Doc, and it’s absolutely wonderful.
No matter who Doc is interacting with, though, the characters always play off each other in interesting ways. Considering that the film is filled to the brim with a star-studded supporting cast, including Owen Wilson, Reese Witherspoon, and Benicio del Toro, among others, who all give great performances in their own right, this isn’t that surprising.
including Owen Wilson, Reese Witherspoon, and Benicio del Toro, among others, who all give great performances in their own right, this isn’t that surprising. Katherine Waterston is a stand-out as Shasta with an absolutely intoxicating performance that easily shows why Doc keeps falling for her seductions, and despite his brief appearance, Martin Short is great as the cocaine-addled dentist Rudy Blatnoyd. You couldn’t ask for a better cast.