Rhum Express

Johnny Depp in a Hunter S Thompson movie? It seems legit, but The Rum Diary falters more often than it shines. Most of the problems relate to the source material and the fuzzy, hazy nature of the narrative. From a cinematic perspective, it's an impressive production with an evocative re-creation of 1960 Puerto Rico. Depp is suave and charismatic, Aaron Eckhart, one of the few working actors who can convincingly wear a white hat or a black one, is in full mode. And Amber Heard is as sexy as a woman can be, especially during a nightclub dance. The Rum Diary fails because of the screenplay, and the screenplay stumbles because it shows too much reverence to its source material. The contrived romance is half-presented. The comedy is hit-and-miss. The main character's arc, which transforms him from a drunken libertarian to a crusader for the undertrodden, is half-described. The conflict between the protagonist and antagonist is left unresolved. In fact, the entire story has an unfinished, half-baked sensibility.