A booze-soaked trip into vacation destination Puerto Rico turns into a vacation filled with romance, violent beatings and pure ruthlessness for Johnny Depp in his newly released film, “The Rum Diary.”
Depp portrays Paul Kemp, the literary incarnation of Hunter S. Thompson in his book “The Rum Diary.” Having acted in such Hollywood folly as “The Tourist,” Depp is financially allowed to act in independents like “The Rum Diary,” based on Thompson’s novel. Thompson, coincidentally, was a dear friend of Depp’s.
Terry Gilliam’s 1998 iconic film “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” stars Depp as another incarnation of Thompson searching for the American dream. “Rum Diary” is a bit of a watered down version of “Fear and Loathing,” yet still as poignant in its exploration of the American dream and the provocative and outlandish mind of Thompson.
“The Rum Diary” is not as scandalous as “Fear and Loathing,” but it is not exactly family friendly either. With excessive alcohol abuse mixed with ’60s fashion and slang, the film is a testament to a time and place sealed in history. Though Depp is certainly too old to be a young journalist looking for himself and the American dream, he pulls the part off well and doesn’t just merely mimic Thompson, but plays a real live character who we are blessed to see unfold.
Depp enters the world where excesses and greed that characterize vacation resorts and corporate domination of exotic places like Puerto Rico were an integral part of society. Not exactly offensive, it presents a crude and realistic drawing of a perverted American dream and the ugly aftermath of its consequences.
Thompson’s distinct voice resonates beautifully through Depp’s impersonation. The film opens with Kemp hung over in a hotel, not quite as over-the-top hysterical as, “The Hangover” but certainly funny in its own right and much darker. Depp shows up to his new job at a newspaper in Puerto Rico a day late with a fake resume and does not start off on the right foot.
Writing horoscopes and frequenting the bowling alleys, Thompson’s voice shines through as the “Fear and Loathing”-style voice-over is utilized to let the narrative speak volumes and aid in his quest to find humor and intrigue playing the Thompson-esque Kemp.
Kemp experiences a revelation as he moves through his new space, realizing the madness of greed and capitalism and its effects on such an exotic and naive locale as Puerto Rico. It is the millionaire PR man who propels Kemp on his journey when he hires Kemp to write a series of stories propagating a new set of hotels that will be built on an island for the greedy bankers and other unapologetic commie-fearing, Nixon-loving, fat cats.
Kemp is thrown and tossed around on anyone’s will but his own, until he ends up on his own with the cruel realization that he hates Puerto Rico and everyone in it, loves Heard’s seductive character and wants a bit of revenge on all who have wronged him.
With fast cars, booze and a mad ingestion of an unknown hallucinogens, the film bears the title of being a bit more nostalgic than it is compelling. Certainly thrilling and funny, the film is merely a “Fear and Loathing”-lite, and less exciting for non-Thompson readers experiencing his voice for the first time.
