Written by James M. Tate / 10/29/2011 / No comments / amber heard , hunter s. thompson , johnny depp , tens
THE RUM DIARY
title: THE RUM DIARY
year: 2011
cast: Johnny Depp, Michael Rispoli, Aaron Eckhart, Amber Heard
rating: *1/2
By the film's intentional anti-climax we learn that Hunter S. Thompson, who wrote THE RUM DIARY about his stint as a journalist in Puerto Rico in 1960, would go onto better things, taking on all the “bastards” he let slip by in his youth. The problem is, there’s none in this movie worth troubling over, or for the audience to root against. Which means Johnny Depp’s Paul Kemp (Thompson with a fake name) has nothing for an audience to root for: other than he’s a popular actor that played a pirate who loved rum, and so does this character. (Every time Depp mentions drinking, he’s practically winking at the audience.) Doing the same Walter Cronkite mumble from FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS, Johnny’s performance is so low-key it hardly registers at all. His porky photographer sidekick Sala (Michael Rispoli) has more interesting and memorable qualities since he’s sloppy and somewhat humorous. But in this film, there’s a lack of anything meaningful beneath the surface... which is an existential odyssey misadventure, sort of... yet it sporadically plants a political flag; but other than clips of Nixon, or shots of poor people being exploited, there's nothing substantial to hold onto. The "plot" has Kemp hired as a journalist at a fledgling Puerto Rico newspaper, with the task of making the country seem like an accessible tourist trap, and then conned by a millionaire to be his propagandist – a man who seems nice at first, but has his eyes on turning the gorgeous exterior into a real estate landmine. He has a sexy girlfriend who Kemp lusts after, leading to a brief romance more lacking in chemistry than the film does purpose. As a Thompson fan, and having read his posthumous novel, it’s an understandably difficult work to base a movie on. Making it that much more annoying when cinematic clichés – like the scruffy underdogs battling the greedy rich guys, or a drug trip that too easily propels a creative edge – are shoved at the screen: turning a subtle book never intended for publication into a ponderous film trying way too hard to make a point: whatever that might be.
year: 2011
cast: Johnny Depp, Michael Rispoli, Aaron Eckhart, Amber Heard
rating: *1/2
By the film's intentional anti-climax we learn that Hunter S. Thompson, who wrote THE RUM DIARY about his stint as a journalist in Puerto Rico in 1960, would go onto better things, taking on all the “bastards” he let slip by in his youth. The problem is, there’s none in this movie worth troubling over, or for the audience to root against. Which means Johnny Depp’s Paul Kemp (Thompson with a fake name) has nothing for an audience to root for: other than he’s a popular actor that played a pirate who loved rum, and so does this character. (Every time Depp mentions drinking, he’s practically winking at the audience.) Doing the same Walter Cronkite mumble from FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS, Johnny’s performance is so low-key it hardly registers at all. His porky photographer sidekick Sala (Michael Rispoli) has more interesting and memorable qualities since he’s sloppy and somewhat humorous. But in this film, there’s a lack of anything meaningful beneath the surface... which is an existential odyssey misadventure, sort of... yet it sporadically plants a political flag; but other than clips of Nixon, or shots of poor people being exploited, there's nothing substantial to hold onto. The "plot" has Kemp hired as a journalist at a fledgling Puerto Rico newspaper, with the task of making the country seem like an accessible tourist trap, and then conned by a millionaire to be his propagandist – a man who seems nice at first, but has his eyes on turning the gorgeous exterior into a real estate landmine. He has a sexy girlfriend who Kemp lusts after, leading to a brief romance more lacking in chemistry than the film does purpose. As a Thompson fan, and having read his posthumous novel, it’s an understandably difficult work to base a movie on. Making it that much more annoying when cinematic clichés – like the scruffy underdogs battling the greedy rich guys, or a drug trip that too easily propels a creative edge – are shoved at the screen: turning a subtle book never intended for publication into a ponderous film trying way too hard to make a point: whatever that might be.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
All Time Popular
-
Robyn Hilton enters into an eclectic exploitation comedy career in Wonder Women circa 1973 As mentioned a few posts ago, ROBYN HILTON, b...
-
year: 1978 cast: Allen Garfield, Leif Garrett, Kathleen Lloyd, Tony Alva, Pam Kenneally rating: ***1/2 Although promoted as a Leif Garr...
-
Kari Michaelsen in Saturday the 14th year: 1982 In LOVE AT FIRST BITE, a popular comedy that took the vampire genre by satire, Richard ...
-
Cornelia Sharpe in BUSTING Year: 1974 Rating: **** Starring Elliott Gould and Robert Blake as determined vice cops BUSTING hookers, makin...
-
Mary-Louise Weller in NATIONAL LAMPOON'S ANIMAL HOUSE ANIMAL HOUSE, directed by John Landis and produced by Ivan Reitman, stars John Be...
-
Kerri Green and John Candy in SUMMER RENTAL Year: 1985 John Candy, in his first leading role, plays a burnt-out air traffic controller ...
-
Robyn Hilton on STARSKY AND HUTCH Model/Actress ROBYN HILTON played Mel Brook's secretary in BLAZING SADDLES and turns up in an epis...
-
Robyn Hilton in Video Vixens the same year as Blazing Saddles: 1974 The Anthology of Comedic Parodies, already done in several Woody All...
-
CADDDYSHACK is best known for the iconic leading actors: Rodney Dangerfield, Chevy Chase, Ted Knight, and Bill Murray, but originally the ...
-
Elizabeth James and Tom Laughlin on equal ground YEAR: 1967 THE BORN LOSERS wasn't supposed to happen but thank God it did since BIL...
Featured Post
LANCE GUEST WITH ROBERT PRESTON IN 'THE LAST STARFIGHTER'
Title: THE LAST STARFIGHTER Year: 1984 Rating: ***1/2 The connection of THREE AMIGOS, GALAXY QUEST and TROPIC THUNDER... of actors thinking ...
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.