Where's the Rum (The Rum Diary Review)

Besides the hugely popular Pirates of the Caribbean franchise and any film Johnny Depp does with director Tim Burton, Depp’s other films have always been a mixed bag. His new movie, The Rum Diary, is one of most interesting films I have seen this year.

Depp stars as Paul Kemp, an American writer who travels to Puerto Rico to write for the local newspaper. While adopting the rum-soaked life of the island, Kemp is recruited by American entrepreneurs to write favorably about the scheme of converting Puerto Rico into a capitalist paradise for the wealthy. Now, the journalist is presented with a choice: to use his words for the corrupt businessmen's financial benefit, or use them to take the bastards down.

The Rum Diary is based off the novel written by the eccentric author, Hunter S. Thompson. He coined the term "gonzo journalism" to describe his guerrilla approach to reporting, which consisted of getting stoned out of his mind, hurling himself at a story, and recording it in frenzied hyperbole.

This movie is strange, but in a good way. I am not too familiar with Thompson’s work, but I did see Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, which was also written by him. That film is visually creative, but it suffers from an uneven narrative just like this film. I also feel The Rum Diary loses its focus around the halfway point of the film and never recovers. Plus, it does not help that the film is about 20 minutes too long. The film feels episodic because some scenes will have people laughing out loud. However, some scenes feel sluggish and stale.

It is an incoherent film, but at least it does not go for the typical Hollywood happy ending. It is not one of the best films of the year, but it is different and quirky. Nevertheless, I think Johnny Depp should get some recognition for his role. This is a polarizing film, and some people might not enjoy it. It’s on DVD/Blu-ray, so at least give it a rental.

The Rum Diary – 2.5/4