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Johnny Depp's new film, The Rum Diary, may recall a certain pirate's drink of choice but would barely register on the breathalyser test...
It's well known that Hunter S. Thompson and actor Johnny Depp were real-life good friends, and the memory of that connection is written all over The Rum Diary. So much so, that you start to lose sight of the character he's meant to be playing, and the whole film turns into some kind of warped tribute act, full of truth and a likeness no other actor could pull off, but also quite hollow and devoid of any real substance.
Of course, Depp has literally played the character before in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, a better film that shows off the talents of everyone involved on-screen and otherwise. The Rum Diary, instead of focusing on the entertaining escapades of the journalist and various accompanying friends, pitches itself as more of a drama, satisfyingly comedic in places but bogged down with far too much plot. For the film has advertised itself as a fun romp through drunkenness and debauchery and, with Withnail and I director Bruce Robinson on board, you'd expect nothing less.
Unfortunately, Paul Kemp spends far more time sober than he does drunk, and viewers may feel a little cheated as a result. Really, apart from the opening few moments, there's nothing shocking or subversive here at all, and it turns out to be a gentle film full of gentle characters and mild wrong-doing. Nothing can grab you when your protagonist is going through the motions, and Kemp doesn't so much drive the story forward than stand idly by while events unfold around him. We all know that Depp is a great actor, but it seems the reverence he has for this project, despite his heart being in an admirable place, actually removes some of the feeling the film might have possessed otherwise.
The supporting cast are just as slight. Love interest Chenault, played by Amber Heard, is stunning to look at and will entertain you on this basis alone for at least half an hour. Unfortunately, moving characters are never generated based on looks alone, and her character quickly descends into the sort of blatant stereotype I thought long gone. Even though the film is set in the late '50s, not a period friendly to the females of the species, Chenault weaves her way through the lives of her men pouting and spinning in pretty dresses, never content with her lot and always on the verge of some violent revolt. It's tiresome to watch, simply because we have no reason to care for her in the first place.
Aaron Eckhart and Michael Rispoli almost save the day but, as supporting cast, can't life the film from the mediocre territory it finds itself in. The film is pleasant enough, and will please fans of Depp or Thompson for its easy charm and laid-back attitude. Withnail part two this isn't, and the excitement level never peaks above 'mildly amused' in its entire run. There's also very little rum in The Rum Diary, and that's just the kind of false advertising that sends my back up.
Of course, Depp has literally played the character before in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, a better film that shows off the talents of everyone involved on-screen and otherwise. The Rum Diary, instead of focusing on the entertaining escapades of the journalist and various accompanying friends, pitches itself as more of a drama, satisfyingly comedic in places but bogged down with far too much plot. For the film has advertised itself as a fun romp through drunkenness and debauchery and, with Withnail and I director Bruce Robinson on board, you'd expect nothing less.
Unfortunately, Paul Kemp spends far more time sober than he does drunk, and viewers may feel a little cheated as a result. Really, apart from the opening few moments, there's nothing shocking or subversive here at all, and it turns out to be a gentle film full of gentle characters and mild wrong-doing. Nothing can grab you when your protagonist is going through the motions, and Kemp doesn't so much drive the story forward than stand idly by while events unfold around him. We all know that Depp is a great actor, but it seems the reverence he has for this project, despite his heart being in an admirable place, actually removes some of the feeling the film might have possessed otherwise.
The supporting cast are just as slight. Love interest Chenault, played by Amber Heard, is stunning to look at and will entertain you on this basis alone for at least half an hour. Unfortunately, moving characters are never generated based on looks alone, and her character quickly descends into the sort of blatant stereotype I thought long gone. Even though the film is set in the late '50s, not a period friendly to the females of the species, Chenault weaves her way through the lives of her men pouting and spinning in pretty dresses, never content with her lot and always on the verge of some violent revolt. It's tiresome to watch, simply because we have no reason to care for her in the first place.
Aaron Eckhart and Michael Rispoli almost save the day but, as supporting cast, can't life the film from the mediocre territory it finds itself in. The film is pleasant enough, and will please fans of Depp or Thompson for its easy charm and laid-back attitude. Withnail part two this isn't, and the excitement level never peaks above 'mildly amused' in its entire run. There's also very little rum in The Rum Diary, and that's just the kind of false advertising that sends my back up.
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