film adaptation of hunter s . thompson’s infamous semi-autobiographical hallucinogen-fueled book of the same title .
director terry gilliam of twelve monkeys ( 8/10 ) and brazil ( 7/10 ) fame , took over the helm of this project after fellow director alex cox ( sid and nancy ( 7 . 5/10 ) )
” apparently alienated everyone associated with the movie ” , according to gilliam .
plot : writer thompson ( depp ) heads down to las vegas with his attorney dr . gonzo ( del toro ) to cover a motorcycle race .
during their trip , they systematically consume ” two bags of grass , seventy-five pellets of mescaline , five sheets of high powered blotter acid , a salt shaker half-full of cocaine , a whole galaxy of multi-colored uppers , downers , screamers , laughers , a quart of tequila , a quart of rum , a case of beer , a pint of raw ether and two dozen amyls .
the movie presents us with the results of that heavy drug use .
critique : i have given this movie two separate ratings because i believe that the enjoyment of this psychedelic picture is highly correlated with the amount of drugs or alcohol that would be floating around in the viewer’s own mind , whilst inhaling this cinematic vision of excess .
if you are prepared to get high or intoxicated before watching this film , i would say that this is one picture that you will thoroughly enjoy on a multitude of colorful levels .
if , on the other hand , you decide to stray from the addition of nefarious elements to your system , i could not imagine you truly appreciating much of this drug-induced picture’s entire ride ( 5 . 5/10 for all those sober dogs ) .
note : i have not read thompson’s book .
having said that , joblo did engage in an alcohol-based consumatory session before ( and during ) the viewing of this film , so his critique of the film should be appreciated on that level .
this movie relies heavily on style and peculiar humour , rather than substance or plot .
it moves admirably from one scene to the next , without much basis of their being , while presenting us with the two days in the life of writer hunter s . thompson during which he seemed to consume more drugs and alcohol than anyone could ever imagine .
it was 1971 , and the times were apparently ” a’ changing ” in the states .
johnny depp chews into his role like an overgrown child sucking on a chocolate lollipop .
during the filming , depp apparently become fast friends with real-life writer thompson , and was known to wander off the set from time to time , for the sake of checking out the newest barmaid at the local watering hole .
i thought he did seem to exaggerate his walk a little bit too much , but then again , this movie is supposed to be a wild exaggeration of everything and anything , so who am i to talk .
the one thing that did blow my mind was the actual physical transformation endured by actor benicio del toro for his role as dr . gonzo .
i couldn’t believe that this fat , samoan lawyer , was the same guy who played the slick mumbling criminal in the usual suspects ( 7 . 5/10 ) .
word on the street is that gained over 40 pounds for this role , and i must say that his look was deliciously reprehensible .
plenty of cameos also pepper this kaleidoscopic moving picture in the form of ellen barkin , christina ricci , tobey maguire and cameron diaz , along with a bunch of others .
other than that , the soundtrack was expectedly eclectic , the style was not as wild as i thought it would be , and the ending was certainly not much of a barn-burner , but then again , who really noticed .
this movie is about visions of bats floating through your head , johnny depp looking goofy and being bald , and the cornucopia of drug-ravaged scenes filling your own intoxicated system with ideas of anarchy , rebellion and the lost american dream .
and for all those who plan on seeing this movie without the partnership of a mean drink or a mighty doobie , i suggest you move further down the aisle , buy yourself a ticket to godzilla ( 6/10 ) , and enjoy the visual fabrications manufactured for the unstimulated mind .
little known facts : depp and del toro snorted plenty of powdered milk instead of cocaine .
bill murray also portrayed a thompson-based character in the film where the buffalo roam .
johnny depp turned down roles in the three musketeers , speed ( 7 . 5/10 ) , and legends of the fall ( 7 . 5/10 ) , for smaller and quirkier roles in benny and joon ( 6 . 5/10 ) and what’s eating gilbert grape ?
( 7/10 ) .
in 1988 , depp told rolling stone magazine that he’d tried every drug by the age of 14 .
johnny hung out with some of the members of oasis while filming the uncompleted divine rapture in ireland , and later played some slide guitar on the 1997 album , be here now .
johnny was born in kentucky , is a high-school dropout , has nicknamed himself ” mr . stench ” , has been engaged to four women until now ( including actress winona ryder , whose ” winona forever ” tattoo had to be altered to ” wino forever ” after their breakup ) , currently plays guitar in a band called ” p ” , and owns the viper room nightclub in l . a .