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Review: A profile of a ‘Gonzo’ guy
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“Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson” centers around the famed eccentric writer’s life in the 1960s and ’70s.
SAN FRANCISCO (Map, News) - A conventional filmmaker, Alex Gibney, salutes one of literature’s legendary rebels, Hunter S. Thompson, in the documentary “Gonzo,” and this matching indeed yields no revelations about its indomitable, outrageous, iconoclastic, substance-consuming, gun-loving subject.
But the movie is nonetheless an engaging, entertaining look at what the fuss over Thompson was, and is, about, and at the brief but magnificent counterculture of his meaningful day.
Via interviews, footage and Thompson’s own words (read aloud by Johnny Depp), the film presents Thompson as a singular creative force and also as a two-prong personification of an America that is both idealistic and destructive.
Gibney concentrates on Thompson’s peak decade, 1965-75, when Thompson originated Gonzo journalism — full-steam, first-person reportage laced with fabrication that serves as deeper truth.
Three Thompson publications — “Hell’s Angels,” “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,” “Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail ’72” — receive foremost attention.
Additionally, we have two marriages, a home in Colorado, a “Doonesbury” character, and a run for sheriff featuring a Thompsonesque mix of patriotism and performance art.
Thompson takes epic amounts of drugs and gets crazy with firearms. Eventually, his gonzo persona destroys him. In 2005, no longer writing like his old self, Thompson commits suicide.
Gibney, who has made two good documentaries about egregious conduct (“Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room” and “Taxi to the Dark Side”), fares weaker with the differently themed “Gonzo.”
Not the edgiest of filmmakers, he doesn’t dip into Thompson’s brain and includes too many excerpts from the wilder Terry Gilliam’s adaptation of “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.” He virtually ignores Thompson’s post-1970s years. His choices of period songs are embarrassing. (The lyric “I think I’m going out of my head” plays during a segment on vice presidential candidate Tom Eagleton’s electroshock treatment for depression.)
But overall, Gibney combines facts, fancies and tidbits galore into a colorful, detail-packed salute to Thompson and 1960s counterculture.
The inclusion of a hearty dose of Thompson’s writing (“It was the built-in blind spot of the Objective Rules and dogma that allowed Nixon to slither into the White House in the first place”) should satisfy Thompson fans and newcomers alike.
Talking-heads material features worthy commentary from 1972 presidential candidate George McGovern, former president Jimmy Carter, Rolling Stone’s Jann Wenner, author Tom Wolfe, Thompson’s first and second wives, and illustrator Ralph Steadman, among others.
Enlightening it isn’t, but this documentary often is captivating.
Credits
Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson (3 stars)
Starring Johnny Depp, George McGovern, Jimmy Carter, Ralph Steadman, Jann Wenner
Written and directed by Alex Gibney
Rated R
Running time 1 hour 59 minutes
Comments from Examiner Readers
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Linda Baker said:
I WAS IN TOTAL AWE OF HOW HE WAS ABLE TO GRAB EVERYONE'S ATTENTION WHEN HE IS ON THE SCREEN. Nobody should ever try to duplicate his act. I believe it was an Oscar winning performance.
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Examiner Reader said:
the movie rawked;)
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Examiner Reader said:
awesome movie you suck for sayin that i think you at wits end orlando is the hottest guy ever!!!
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Barbara said:
orlando bloom is the hotest actor in pirates of the caribbean
2 agree | 1 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Bizarre movie! What a waste of time and money!
12 agree | 13 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
the X-files should be filed under Y. the movie didn't make any sense or conformed to the t.v. series. it's about the unknown, the ufo thing. this was about sicky characters who like to cut up people and put them together like frankensteins.
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Examiner Reader said:
I liked the movie Mama Mia. I saw it with my daughter and thougt it was refreshing... so what that some didn't have thesinging voice but the laughter was always there. I recommend this movie to anyone who just wants to laugh and leave life for a short time. I am not one for musicals and was not happy that my daughter picked this but I was so glad she did!! FUN FUN FUN!!!!
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Examiner Reader said:
"Why, after an hour of pratfalls, try to reinvent Hancock as a somber second coming of the Caped Crusader? I like the idea of a disgraced superhero struggling to rehabilitate his image." This specific comment leads me to believe that you missed the point, and that you would rather drop a clever phrase in your own creation, your critique, than do your job as a critic and evaluate fully what was given to you (instead of "what if?") By the way, "Caped Crusader" is a name most often attributed to Bruce Wayne's alter ego, not the "aww, gee" squeaky clean Superman (which I believe is what you inferred). The ending, which focused on the familiar comic themes, of self sacrifice and the powers of the ordinary were very satisfying for this comic fan. The questions left unanswered in the movie are what number one issues are made of. I have a complaint: more of the title's credit should have been given to Bateman and Theron in my opinion. Hancock, albeit misnamed, was a great introduction.
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Gone. So? said:
So many seemingly brilliant alcoholic/addicts whose works became extremely popular through the mass media during the latter half of the twentieth century have had such an endelible influence on American culture that by now you'd expect one of them to perhaps become President of the United States. Oh yeah, right, one already has.
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MrHyphy said:
Hancock is a good movie end of story.
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Examiner Reader said:
just came back from seeing a movie that i thought would be great but it WAS SOME GARBAGE DON'T WAIST UR TIME OR MONEY VIA MOVIE THEATRE OR DVD
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Examiner Reader said:
M. Knight is the modern day equivalent to Alfred Hithcock. I completely disagree with this review and her review of his last two movies. The Village was one his best movies, and The Lady in the Water was also a great movie. Some people just don't have minds capable of seeing outside the box and wondering what if. Case in point, Sally Kline.
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Examiner Reader said:
The movie kicked ass!
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Examiner Reader said:
You, sir, are an idiot of the highest order.
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Examiner Reader said:
This was a great movie with a great story line. But hey what would you expect from a critic.
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Examiner Reader said:
Dear Ms. Katz, You are quite the bitch for revealing that "Big stands Carrie up at the = alter"! Gwen Evans
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Examiner Reader said:
wow the review of the new Indiana Jones movie really over rates it--unlike the others it is ALL style and no substance. the movie has a return of karen allen but then does nothing with her; and what is this===Happy Days meets the X Files? it maybe but isnt an Indiana Jones movie.
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Examiner Reader said:
Cont...With regards to Battle for Haditha (see below): This 'rampage' point of view has been disproven. (3) There is evidence that these Marines were used as scapegoats to appease a liberal media and Anti-War sentiments in the Senate and govt like Murtha. There is evidence of undue command influence in the hubris investigation that ensued. The investigation was unprecedented. These Marines were asked to make split moment decisions under duress that most of us would be hard pressed to do differently under similar circumstances. Interesting fact from the think tank AEI: A poll of tribal leaders across Iraq was recently conducted about US elections and who they would vote for, McCain, Obama, or Clinton. A majority would vote for John McCain but in Al Anbar where Haditha occurred, the tribal leaders want to re-elect George Bush. The Iraqi leaders greatly fear us leaving b/c that would ensure the return of the henchmen who murdered and terrorized the locals. They want peace and stabilit
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Examiner Reader said:
With regards to Battle for Haditha: To imply this movie is an accurate representation of the Haditha incident is misguided and disingenuous. This movie is far from an accurate representation of what occurred but conjecture based on misinformation. The truth of what occurred and mistakes made are coming out now. So how did the director possibly know what really happened when he made this movie? These are what we do know now: (1) The incident was a set up from insurgents who were looking to create an Iraq massacre for political gain and as part of their information operations. Al Qaeda filmed the carnage and the American and world media appeased them. (2) There is evidence from drones that there were insurgents fleeing from the buildings the Marines cleared. The Marines who cleared the buildings were not targeting civilians and were following orders. Their intentions were to ensure their own safety and not from a desire to take revenge or go on some kind of rampage. This 'rampage' poin
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Examiner Reader said:
I have heard a lot of trash about this movie, but I have to disagree. I loved it. The part most people miss is that it stays true to the cartoon that inspired it. Sure, it is hokie, far-fetched and dated, but that's just the way the cartoon was! Besides, this show has a lot of action and happy ending. Who wouldn't like that?
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Examiner Reader said:
Pretty spot-on review, but critics (even Asian Ameircan critics, who are falling over themselves to celebrate the fact that Asians are starring in a mainstream hit movie without being, well, you know, ASIAN) including Examiner's are missing he huge red flag od sexism that permrates both ,ovies but this one even more so. Yeah, so that's part and parcel of the juvenile, hormone-drenched guy genre, but it doesn't excuse the over-the-top nature of this movie's juvenalia. It almsot negates both the empowring of Asian Americans AND the bits of smart political commentary casually tossed off throughout the dialogue. And BTW, Rossiter, there are no hyphens in "Indian American" and "Korean American."
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Melisa said:
The movie was alright - I enjoyed all the cinematic imagery, but I esp. loved the music in the film. I just bought the soundtrack and I can't stop listening to it - really great!
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Examiner Reader said:
I read the books and I am an adult female that enjoys a good fantasy book without romance in it. Yes, the books are a bit different, but the story line moved quite well even though it was much different from the books. Well done. My whole family watched it and it was entertaining to us.
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mandela said:
"Lions for lambs" is a colossal bore.
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Examiner Reader said:
Pirates of the Caribbean(all 3)have to be the best movies i have ever seen. This is an extremely harsh review of a completely AWEsome movie! I mean come on there had to be something this reviewer liked about it.
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Examiner Reader said:
RE: POTC3 - I found it to be highly entertaining-which is what a movie is supposed to be! Hey, some liked it, some didn't - so what? Johnny Depp made all 3 movies fun to watch (he IS very easy on the eyes)! A lot of people loved it - hence its popularity. Fantasy pictures are fun - much needed in today's world. There are many "serious" movies with plots so convoluted a person would leave the theater confused. With POTC a person could leave the theater laughing (hang the plots) and wanting more. I think sometimes even critics don't know what they want in a movie. But, you can bet your bottom dollar that if there's a POTC4 it'll be a hit - again, hang the "plots", bring on the characters and the FUN! And if the first 3 didn't float your boat then stay home!
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Examiner Reader said:
I agree with Sally Kline's assessment of Michael Moore's documentary... the film left me thoroughly disgusted with the American healthcare system and disenchanted with the ways my fellow citizens and our policy makers are influenced by the almighty dollar. It's sad and pathetic, and no solution seems in sight...
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Jackie said:
I love4 you Johnny and please make more films with you as the pirate I think you are the greattest
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