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- Based on the debut novel by Hunter S. Thompson, The Rum Diary tells the increasingly unhinged story of itinerant journalist Paul Kemp (Johnny Depp). Tiring of the noise and madness of New York and the crushing conventions of late Eisenhower-era America, Kemp travels to the pristine island of Puerto Rico to write for a local newspaper, The San Juan Star, run by downtrodden editor Lotterman (Richard Jenkins). Adopting the rum-soaked life of the island, Paul soon becomes obsessed with Chenault (Amber Heard), the wildly attractive Connecticut-born fiancée of Sanderson (Aaron Eckhart). Sanderson, a businessman involved in shady property development deals, is one of a growing number of American entrepreneurs who are determined to convert Puerto Rico into a capitalist paradise in service of the wealthy. When Kemp is recruited by Sanderson to write favorably about his latest unsavory scheme, 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.
- This was an up and down movie and honestly if it wasn't for Johnny Depp, I probably would have pulled the plug due to total loss of interest. The movie would drag for a while and then pick up in both laughs and tempo and then go back to blah. It did this like 3 or 4 times and it wasn't nearly as trippy (a la Fear & Loathing In Las Vegas) as I had expected. Regardless, I will pretty much watch anything with Johnny Depp and his facial expressions/delivery. That held up this movie for me but I was honestly kind of disappointed.
- I would lukewarmly recommend people checking this one out. It's not a must see and those just wanting to see Depp will be bored by the story while those who are going for the story will probably leave having expected more.
