American journalist Paul Kemp takes on a freelance job in Puerto Rico for a local newspaper during the 1950s and struggles to find a balance between island culture and the ex-patriots who live there.
Full of affection for the late Dr T, this droll if bitty frolic is destined to form a triple bill someday with Fear And Loathing and Where The Buffalo Roam.
A fitting tribute to Hunter and the demise of the American Dream, but first and foremost a thrilling and funny snapshot of a country on its knees and a writer finding his feet.
A solid first hour that combines lunacy with witty wordplay struggles to realise its potential.
Crazy, cool and very funny.
Depp’s Paul Kemp, a blank slate waiting for his calling, comes off as more Graham Greene manqué than pre-hellraising pioneer of “ink and rage”; the ravaged wit of Robinson’s Withnail & I is nowhere to be found.
The picture’s beautifully shot and full of local colour but the characters aren’t funny or vivid enough, Depp is too restrained and the meandering plot lacks the manic energy required.
This match never lights.
Producer-star Johnny Depp mounts a sincere but basically self-admiring homage to his hero, wildman gonzo-journalist Hunter S Thompson.
In the end, it's not much of anything, and really takes its time (two hours plus) proving so.
It’s a smart, good-looking adaptation – if nothing else, proof that Robinson deserves more directing work – but just a bit too sober to truly excite.
You'll feel groggy.
It's pretty much Withnail and I in a tropical climate but far less fun.
The result is a lot of myth-making fun.
It's a dazzlingly shot, sometimes hilarious, sometimes hair-raising, picaresque tale of excess and commitment.
A quite intriguing take on Thompson’s novel.
It’s a worthwhile film for anyone wishing to know more about the genesis of Thompson’s career, but is sadly lacking in any of the great doctor of journalism’s sparkling charisma.
All in all then, the film is a creditable adaptation of Thompson’s novel even if it lacks the touch of class necessary to truly excite.
The Rum Diary: paean to Hunter S Thompson
Hunter S Thompson in pictures
Hunter S Thompson quotes
Hunter S Thompson
General release. Check local listings for show times.
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