Written by: Bruce Robinson (screenplay); Hunter S. Thompson (novel)
Before he became famous for his "gonzo" journalism, Hunter S. Thompson wanted to be the next F. Scott Fitzgerald. His first and only novel "The Rum Dairy" has floated around for many years, waiting to be adapted into a film. Thanks to the spearheading work of Johnny Depp, it finally got made (for better or for worse).
To simplify the plot: Paul Kemp (Depp) arrives in Puerto Rico as an aspiring journalist. Massive amounts of alcohol are consumed, as well as some drugs, and general anarchy ensues. (There's also a conflict involving Aaron Eckhart and his girlfriend, but it's basically just filler.)
In all honesty, "The Rum Diary" was not great material to begin with, and there wasn't a whole lot that could have been done to salvage this bomb. I love Hunter S. Thompson, but fiction was not his strength.
Giovanni Ribisi's performance is one of the few highlights of the film. I'd almost say that the film is worth seeing just for him. But it's not.
Unfortunately, "The Rum Diary" is the type of movie in which all the best clips are thrown at you in the trailer. There simply isn't a whole lot driving this film forward. It meanders. It wobbles. The talent in the film - Depp, Eckhart, etc - don't shine in their usual way.
I hate to say it, but "The Rum Diary" simply fizzled.
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