Alcoholism, cockfighting and unrequited love: just another day in paradise, at least in Johnny Depp’s latest “The Rum Diary.” Based on the novel by the celebrated and infamous Hunter S. Thompson, “The Rum Diary” follows the misadventures of Paul Kemp (Depp) and a host of many other strange characters in a volatile 1960 Caribbean.
Kemp is a down-on-his-luck reporter arriving in Puerto Rico to write for the struggling newspaper, the San Juan Star. He spends the rest of the movie boozing with his buddy Bob Sala (Michael Rispoli), hanging out with mysterious businessman Sanderson (Aaron Eckhart) and his girlfriend Chenault (Amber Heard) and writing the occasional horoscope. Giovanni Ribisi and Richard Jenkins round out the cast as the strung out reporter Moberg and the toupee-wearing editor Lotterman, respectively.
Plot follows set of bizarre episodes
The plot is a loosely jointed series of absurd episodes following Kemp as he meanders across the strange and wild environs of the island. Some of the more surreal scenes include an acid trip involving a lobster and a voodoo ceremony involving a rooster. The occasional Depp voice-over tries to narrate the madness. It’s borderline incomprehensible at times, but always interesting. You get the sense that “The Rum Diary” is constantly trying to be funny, but it only succeeds in random comedic bursts. Kemp’s many mishaps in Sala’s car come to mind as laugh out loud hilarious, but more often than not, situations are more bizarre than humorous.
Perhaps the most important storyline in the film revolves around the love triangle between Kemp, Sanderson and Chenault. Sanderson befriends Kemp in an attempt to hire him to write the travel brochure for his secret new island resort, going so far as to bail him out of jail. Kemp soon finds himself in multiple conflicts of interest. Every moment between Kemp and Chenault is sexually charged as she dances her way from scene to scene barely clothed. Kemp falls hopelessly in love with her and Chenault quickly becomes his muse, putting his dealings with Sanderson in a precarious situation.
Film has unappealing characters and unsatisfying resolution
Sadly, the characters that inhabit the world of “The Rum Diary” are mostly unappealing caricatures — the reporters are all slovenly deadbeats and drunks, the land developers are as greedy as they are evil, the tourists are fat and dumb and everyone is racist. Moberg serves the function of both foil and comedic relief as the mumbling alcoholic with a fondness for Hitler recordings. Ribisi’s performance is appropriately grating, making everyone else look normal comparatively.
Depp is fine in his role, but it’s not his best work by a long shot. He erratically shifts between cowardly indifference and self-righteous outrage. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly when he starts caring or even why, but Kemp eventually starts making speeches about good journalism before his dazed and disinterested colleagues. He seems to blame the poverty of the natives on the greed of the hotel owners and then contrarily laments that the new hotel will employ everyone. Regardless, the bad guys are really bad and Kemp determines to stop at nothing until he makes them all pay and tries to save the paper in the process.
“The Rum Diary” feels slow and long, coming in at an even two hours. It can be intoxicating at times, sucking you in with its hypnotic rhythm and gorgeous scenery, but the lack of any resolution leaves “The Rum Diary” somewhat unsatisfying. Don’t worry about taking this crazy trip unless you really can’t resist the call of the late Dr. Thompson’s twisted version of paradise.
