I must confess, if it wasn’t for a free screening I initially wouldn’t have gone to see this film. I had no prejudice against it, I just wasn’t aware of it, and as I am not a fan of Hunter S. Thompson’s books (one of which this film is based on) there wasn’t a massive draw for me. In any case, this is my rookie review: once I did see The Rum Diary I found it both entertaining and interesting. Johnny Depp, often criticised for the over-the-top and similar nature of his roles goes for a more restrained take in this, his long term project. He plays recently arrived journalist Paul Kemp as something of a straight man against his new and absurd co-workers and the mad, corrupt world of Puerto Rico: a departure for the usually flamboyant actor, but a successful one, his performance bringing a great deal of the humour and pathos in the film.
The Rum Diary has some great comedy moments, most notably an ingenious car chase featuring Depp, a co-worker and a missing car seat that defies written explanation. Giovanni Ribisi, playing an alcoholic neo-nazi religion and crime correspondent also deserves a mention, his character delivering some of the film’s best lines. In fact, the film is a fun, albeit surreal, romp for most of its running time e unfortunately taking a turn for the worse as everyone starts taking themselves very seriously. It’s impossible to take the film’s later poignancy with a serious attitude considering the earlier mood, and in any case some of the lines the characters deliver are so heavy-handed and wooden that the effect is slightly embarrassing rather than affecting. The second half generally suffers from half-formed ideas and lazy plotting – one character leaves the country for no obvious reason, and another casts off a business partner with no real motivation given. It’s a shame, because the cast do give some great performances and the photography is fantastic, veering from lush green landscapes to brutal cockfights while consistently conveying the wonder and strangeness of Puerto Rico in every shot. In fact, Puerto Rico seems alive as any of the characters, bustling with people and looking authentically grimy – the set dressers deserve much credit for creating such a credible picture of the city in the 1960s.
This film wasn’t perfect, but was it worth seeing for free? Absolutely. Is it worth paying to see? I’d say that it probably is, on balance – it’s a lot of fun for the most part, and for any Johnny Depp fans I’d say the film was essential. He gives his most balanced performance in years, and quite frankly it’s nice to see him playing someone a bit more normal.
