The Rum Diary [M]

Puerto Rico, 1960. Paul Kemp, journalist and slight alcoholic, has come to write for a small and striving newspaper. The job begins small and unassuming but soon, with the help of a little rum, it escalates into a journey filled with crooks, injustice, and self-discovery. 

In loving memory of Hunter S Thompson. 

Admittedly, after seeing and completely loving Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, I expected The Rum Diary to be another mind-screwing trip, absolutely rum-soaked and swimming. This was not the case, but the film was still a very good one; autobiographical, and a good story of ambition and self-discovery, this movie made me laugh and think. 

Puerto Rico, 1960. Paul Kemp, journalist and slight alcoholic, has come to write for a small and striving newspaper run by a genuine bastard that completely contradicts Paul’s journalistic ideas and ambitions. The job begins small and unassuming with Paul making friends and developing a taste for rum in the process, but that changes when Paul is plucked from the inner workings of the paper to write for some crooks who are looking to buy and exploit the land. As Paul sees one life of luxury and money and then another of poverty and injustice, he develops, with the help of a little rum, a strong hatred of his greedy employers and an ambition to write the truth and snap back at them. It could even be said that sometimes ink is stronger than rum. 

Based on Hunter S. Thompson’s book, The Rum Diary is a film that took me a while to get into. As with Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, this movie does project a very reflective vibe towards the audience, one that lulls and then snaps into action at the slightest touch, much like the effect of having continuous drinks. 

I felt that is also had more of a solid story than Fear and Loathing, one that was actually rather interesting as it very subtly puts forward the idea that some of life’s meanings and purposes are understood and fuelled through alcohol. I can honestly say that I come up with my best story ideas when I’ve had a few drinks and I know that Steven Tyler, lead singer of Aerosmith wrote some of the most amazing songs and lyrics when he was high. 

Johnny Depp stars as Paul and he was wonderful, just as Johnny can be. It was really interesting to see him play this character that begins the film as being sort of uncertain and taking life one moment at a time and then develops into this angry and ambitious journalist who then goes on to have an illustrious career. As Johnny Depp and Hunter S. Thompson were friends, it is only fitting that the character of Paul be played by Depp. I actually have a feeling that Johnny was the one who fired Thompson’s ashes out of a cannon at his funeral. 

Starring Johnny Depp, Michael Rispoli, Richard Jenkins, Amber Heard, Giovanni Ribisi, and Aaron Eckhart, The Rum Diary is a very good film filled with action, crime, injustice, romance, comedy, and of course, rum. Another classic that Depp can add to his already outstanding repertoire, I really enjoyed this film.