What's it all About? The film is a pretty thinly veiled biopic of the time Hunter S Thompson spent in Peurto Rico in the late 1950's, as he struggled to find his own voice as a writer, the voice that would become famous in the pieces like Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas/On the Campaign trail etc etc. It's also clearly a bit of a love letter from Johnny Depp to Thomson, and I think even the book was published because Johnny Depp convinced him to.
Best bits? The mood is awesome - Puerto Rico in the 1950's seems so fun, with amazing threads, and the outside rum bar made me excited. Also, in a pretty big detour from the book, they make the end a bit more decisive, as he "discovers" his journalistic voice and realises where he want his career to go - that really got me punching the air as he sets out his life's mission statement. Take that "The man!"
Did it make you think thoughts? Is it possible to watch this film without thinking about Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas?! There are real "Fear and Loathing..." moments in this, as they experiment with Acid for the first time, and have crazy hijinks with a car etc etc... These really weren't as funny as they could have been - after watching "Fear and Loathing...", these bits seem a bit flat in comedy/excitement, and when he's driving round in Puerto Rico swigging gin, I actually just feel he's more of a sad alcoholic than the angry journo that sees taking insane kinds of drugs as a real political position against the dry American establishment. I've tried to avoid comparing it with the book too much, as the book is really great, a bit less "exciting things happening", a much more moody, but I know that doesnt work soo well in films, although I reckon it could have worked! Bruce Robinson said he threw the book out straight away after reading it twice so he could write his own good film. I appreciate that approach, but I think it could have been a bit more menacing, sweaty and tense.
Would you watch it again? Umm, yeah, I think so. It wasn't as funny as I'd like it to be, but I really liked the setting/time and it made me excited to see the beginning of Hunter S Thompson's voice.
Rating (out of 100%): I hope I don't drink rum thats as strong as 67%! (Eh?)
