Jason watches THE RUM DIARY

And it's impossible to watch without thinking about Johnny Depp's deep man-crush on Hunter S. Thompson. I love Depp, and he's fine in this film, but I have to wonder if a different guy playing Thompson's alter-ego might be less distracting (not that I would know who else to cast).

For those who only know/think/care about Thompson's drug-fueled ridiculousness in FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS (the book or the movie), this story might seem tame. And it's a shame people forget that Thompson wasn't just about drinking and doing lots of drugs--he was about speaking bizarre, drug-fueled truth to power (or taking on "the bastards"). This is the story of how he came to that worldview, how he found his voice. He's in Puerto Rico, with a job for a local failing newspaper. He drinks, but he swears he's trying to cut down. And he's welcomed into a rich real estate developer's (Aaron Eckhart) plan. The contrast of poverty vs. wealth is stark, it's definitely a film for the times of the "Occupy" movement and the 99% vs. the 1%. And it's the story of how Hunter S. Thompson found his voice, and became a constant antagonist to "the bastards." Great, now show me more of his wacky, drug-fueled craziness.

Running Time: 120 minutes

My Total Minutes: 256,578