Johnny Depp stars in the novel-turned-movie
If one were to play a drinking game with the “The Rum Diary” (and believe me, someone will) that involved taking a drink every time someone on screen did, one’s liver would shrivel and die faster than Lindsay Lohan’s career.
Alcohol is more than a reoccurring subject matter in the film; it has gotten its SAG card and become an actual character.
“The Rum Diary” is Bruce Robinson’s fourth film, a director who already garnered cult acclaim with his fantastically and brutally funny debut film “Withnail & I” (1987). So, naturally, merging Robinson’s background with excessive substance abuse and peculiar narratives with Hunter S. Thompson — the man who literally wrote the book on substance abuse and the bizarre — is one of the better pairings Hollywood could have provided.
With that being said, “The Rum Diary” does not reach its potential as a feature. Having never read the book, I cannot speak about the quality of the adaptation, but overall, the film still manages to stay very enjoyable and entertaining.
“The Rum Diary” takes an almost apathetic tone to the plot happenings, and much of this is facilitated by the dead-pan reactions of Johnny Depp. Depp plays Kemp, a reporter who has come down to Puerto Rico for a job at the local newspaper.
Thrust into a world of heavy drinking and general disinterest, Kemp stumbles (because he is always drunk or on his way) through interactions with many colorful characters. “The Rum Diary” relies less on plot and more on Kemp’s progression in relationships with the people he meets.
It does fleetingly commit to Kemp uncovering a real estate scandal but not enough to switch the viewer’s mindset from wondering what crazy thing will happen next to emotionally investing in the story line.
“The Rum Diary,” if nothing else, is a gorgeous visual treat. The cinematography is fantastic as Robinson pairs a nostalgic feel with vibrant colors and visually engaging locations.
The film does an excellent job of transferring the viewer into the setting. With such a visually stimulating film, Depp’s subtle and understated film provides a nice foil. Admittedly, it was slightly bizarre to see Depp portray Thompson in a nearly opposite light than he did in “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” (1998). But I do realize they are different books, regardless of what my personal schema is.
While Depp performed admirably, Giovanni Ribisi’s portrayal of Moburg nearly stole the whole movie. Ribisi managed to come across completely insane and without overacting, created a very engaging and, at times, humorously distracting character.
“The Rum Diary” certainly is not a film for everyone, just as Thompson’s stream of consciousness writings are an acquired taste.
The film moves very methodically and at times flirts with dragging. It will definitely fall into the cult category because it’s fairly odd and the humor is not obvious like most mainstream comedies, and that’s most likely where it belongs.
“The Rum Diary” does a good job overcoming its imperfections and is one of the better comedies of the year. Unfortunately, it is a film that requires multiple viewings to appreciate, and many people will write it out off as boring or pointless.
However, if you want to see a few men put your weekend activities to shame, then “The Rum Diary” is certainly worth the viewing.