Cast: Johnny Depp, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Rispoli, Amber Heard, Richard Jenkins, Giovanni Ribisi
Plot: American journalist Paul Kemp (Depp) takes on a freelance job in Puerto Rico for a local newspaper and struggles to find a balance between island culture and the wealthy American inhabitants of the island.
'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' was a cult classic. I have never seen anything like it and chances are I never will again. Based on the novel by infamous gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson the film followed Thompson (played by Depp) on a drug fuelled vacation in Vegas. 'The Rum Diary' is adapted from the same author's work, with Depp reprising his role as the troubled writer, but don't go expecting a mind bending adventure like 'Fear and Loathing' because this movie plays it fairly safe.
The comparisons to 'Fear and Loathing' are going to be inevitable with it being another Hunter S. Thompson adaptation but the depiction of Thompson we see here is very different to the man known as Raoul Duke who stumbled through the neon lit streets of Vegas. No Paul Kemp is a younger more naive version of Thompson, who is trying to find his voice as a writer in the humid newsroom of failing Puerto Rico newspaper. He is wants to do something important, but he doesn't quite know what yet. This is what becomes most interesting about 'The Rum Diary' seeing the (admittedly fictional) evolution of this most infamous of journalists.
Kemp may not do drugs, but he certainly knows how to do drink and along with photographer buddy Sala (Rispoli) he gets into some hilarious situations. What isn't quite as funny however is Kemp's run ins with wealthy property developer Sanderson (Aaron Eckhart), who is keen to enlist him to write favourably about his latest hotel venture. There should be some dramatic weight to this side of the film, but it's just kind of.. there. I can't think of anything particularly memorable about these parts of the film other than Sanderson's girlfriend played by Amber Heard, who is far from a sore sight for the eyes.
What works best are the shenanigans Kemp and Sala get into around Puerto Rico involving cock fights, car chases and (in one of the film's best scenes) a drug induced hallucination. There is such a sense of fun when the two are on screen together that their chemistry reminded of a somewhat dialled back version of Raoul Duke and Benicio Del Toro's Dr.Gonzo. Also getting some laughs is Giovanni Ribisi in a small role as a drunkard journalist, who enjoys listening to the speeches of Hitler - he is a bit off kilter.
'The Rum Diary' is an enjoyable comedy, but it isn't a great one. There is nothing drastically wrong with it and there isn't anything remarkable, everything just feels a bit too safe and traditional. All the performances are great, especially Depp and Rispoli, the direction is good, but it just doesn't really amount to anything more than a serviceable comedy. I would recommend 'The Rum Diary' because it is funny at times, just don't expect anything as mind blowing as 'Fear and Loathing'.
Rating:
No comments:
Post a Comment