If so, "The Rum Diary" may be just the buzz you've been waiting for.
Based on the novel by the late Hunter S. Thompson, "The Rum Diary" stars Johnny Depp as hard-drinking, journalist Paul Kemp who has just arrived on the scene in 1960 Puerto Rico in search of employment, and the ever so elusive "American Dream."
Depp is joined in this drinking binge by a star studded cast including; Aaron Eckhart ("Thank You for Smoking", "The Dark Knight") as public relations/business mongol Sanderson, Amber Heard ("Pineapple Express", "North Country") as Sanderson's lovely fiance Chenault, and Giovani Ribisi ("Avatar", "Saving Private Ryan") as the degenerate journalist Moburg.
The film was directed by Bruce Robinson ("Withnail and I") and shot on location in Puerto Rico giving it an authentic tropical vibe. The stunning natural visuals in this film allows one to become absorbed in the world that Thompson once wrote about. And who better to bring Thompson's words to life than his long time friend Depp.
"The Rum Diary" is the second shot that Depp has taken at portraying one of Thompson's characters ("Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas") who are loosely based on his own life experiences as a journalist. Before the shooting of "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" Depp actually lived in Thompson's basement for several months, so he could get a good feel for the writer himself.
"He was somebody I greatly admired." Depp said, "When I met him, we were an instant click."
Although Depp seems very proud of his work on "The Rum Diary", calling it a "celebration of Hunter's life", it hasn't been greeted with the kind of commercial success or raving reviews he may have hoped for, as the film opened up to a measly $5 million dollars in its first weekend at the box office, and currently holds a score of 6.4 out of ten stars on IMDb (International Movie Data base) with a Metascore of 56/100.
Tom Carson of GQ writes that "The Rum Diary" is "a lousy movie based on an even lousier Hunter S. Thompson novel--Johnny Depp's obsession with the late gonzo journalist has officially gone overboard."
I couldn't disagree more.
I found the book to be one of the calmer writings of Thompson, as he wrote it in his early twenties and was not yet known as "the great gonzo journalist." It was scaled back a little from his later writing, and I believe Depp portrayed that in the film. Yes, there is still an abundance of partying and general mayhem going on, but nowhere near to the extent of "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas." Nothing too over the top in this film.
Overall, the film version of "The Rum Diary" does a decent job of staying true to the original novel for the most part. There were a few scenes from the book that were missing from the film which left me feeling a touch let down, but I believe most of us have come to expect this sort of thing when Hollywood gets their hands on a good story. The book is always better than the movie, but "The Rum Diary" is still an exciting adventure with a few good laughs.
Kick back, refill your drink, hold on to your seats, and don't forget the ice; "The Rum Diary" is a bumpy ride.
At a Glance:
"The Rum Diary"
Starring: Johnny Depp, Aaron Eckhart, Amber Heard, Giovanni Ribisi
Rated: R
Sony Pictures, 2011
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