larry flynt is a self proclaimed smut pedlar and the owner/publisher of the multi-million dollar hustler publications company .
the people vs . larry flynt is the story of larry flynt’s fight for the freedom to circulate and sell his pornographic magazine , hustler .
based on a true story , the film is almost a documentary in that it’s a very vivid and detailed look at larry flynt’s life .
woody harrelson gives an excellent performance .
he conveys flynt’s peculiarities and his character with depth and focus .
by the end of the film the audience actually finds themselves , somewhat grudgingly , liking larry flynt .
this is some feat given flynt’s apparent lack of any morals or ethics and his extremely smutty and childish behaviour in court .
however , flynt has a number of things going for him , he’s rich , he’s funny , and most importantly , he says exactly what he means .
larry flynt’s wife , althea leasure is played by courtney love .
larry meets althea at one of his clubs , and they fall in love ( a very sexual and open love ) .
both of them indulge in a world of too much sex , and eventually too much drugs .
flynt had been taking an excessive amount of pain killers after being paralysed from the waist down ( which was especially upsetting for him ) by an assassin .
althea had joined him in taking the drugs .
following an operation flynt decides to stop taking drugs , althea does not have any such plans , nor the determination to follow them .
as the film progresses we see her become increasingly frail and sick .
courtney love obviously has a great understanding for althea’s situation , as she is brilliant in portraying althea in every respect .
it’s extremely sad to watch althea literally wither away .
edward norton plays flynt’s lawyer , alan isaacman .
again , this is a solid performance .
the audience finds it easy to sympathise with isaacman who somehow puts up with flynt’s courtroom antics .
flynt is not only childish in the courtroom , but downright rude to the judges , and lands himself in a lot of trouble ( and even in a mental institution ) because of it .
isaacman is very easy to like , and great at proving ( in quite clever ways ) his points to the court .
milos forman has done a great job in directing the people vs . larry flynt .
it is not really an exciting or thrilling film , but instead a highly interesting portrayal of a true story .
due to larry’s character it is also , at times , a very funny film .
however , it is much more than that .
it is about the fight for freedom of speech , anti-censorship , and the right to be able choose for oneself what to see and buy .
an excellent look at flynt , his life , and his story .
keep a look out for the real larry flynt who makes a cameo as judge morrissey .