With johnny depp, giovanni ribisi, aaron eckhart, michael rispoli. Sanderson, a businessman involved in shady property development deals, is one of a growing number of american entrepreneurs who are determined to convert puerto rico. The rum diary gives us this side of him without apology. The story behind the rum diary is as interesting as the film itself. The word diary refers to the daily life experience and the incidents happened in a life of a person. It stars johnny depp, aaron eckhart, michael rispoli, amber heard, richard jenkins, and giovanni ribisi. Rather than seem like a pretender, i gave up on rum and ordered a beer. The material doesnt make for a straightforward story on screen.
Having read the book a few years ago, i was looking forward to the movie. The character has the same name in both the book and the movie. Much like the late author, robinson first drew acclaim with a black comedy that he scripted and directed entitled withnail and i. Oct 28, 2011 the rum diary, based on an early novel by hunter s. This movie is an adaptation of the novel of the same name, the rum diary.
After watching the rum diary im curious what other people think. Filming began in puerto rico in march 2009 and was released on october 28, 2011. Thompson fought until he died to make the rum diary a movie. American journalist paul kemp takes on a freelance job in puerto rico for a local newspaper during the 1960s and struggles to find a balance between island culture and the expatriates who live there. The rum diary takes place in san juan, puerto rico during the late 1950s. Depp humps and haws, his mannerisms not unlike those he used when. Thompsons first novel, entitled prince jellyfish, still remains unpublished. Thompson, stars johnny depp as a young writer named paul kemp, a thompson alter ego. American journalist paul kemp takes on a freelance job in puerto rico for a local newspaper during the 1960s and struggles to find a balance between island.
A novel kindle edition by thompson, hunter s download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. The rum diary, the movie, lacked a lot of the intensity that i felt existed in the book. By the time he was 20, he had already been fired as a copy boy for time magazine for insubordination and from the middletown n. The rum diary is an early novel by american writer hunter s. Oct 30, 2011 suitably, the rum diary, an adaptation of thompsons book of the same name, is bruce robinsons first directorial effort in 19 years he also does the screenplay. Oct 27, 2011 the rum diary is a novel thompson wrote when he was 22 though not published until much later and still trying to figure out his path in life. Thompson was written in 1960, but not published until 1998 when the manuscript was found among thompsons papers by johnny depp. He discovers a newsroom full of misfits and miscreants led. The rum diary is a brilliantly tangled love story of jealousy, treachery, and violent alcoholic lust in the caribbean boomtown that was san juan, puerto rico, in the late 1950s. As a movie, the rum diary wants to be the same thing, but ends up as. The protagonist, one paul kemp, bears a marked resemblance to the hunter thompson we know and love. Paul kemp, author of two and a half unpublished novels, has just deplaned and gotten smashing drunk on rum at his hotel in san juan, puerto rico.
Certain elements of the book are played down, or not addressed at all, while other plot mechanisms mysteriously appear out of nowhere. The rum diary is a 2011 american comedydrama film written and directed by bruce robinson, based on the novel of the same. The movie is adapted from a book that hunter s thompson, the heroic crusader, started writing during his unsuccessful but eventful sting as a journalist in puerto rico in the early 60s. There is drinking and some partying, but not a lot and it is not the focus of the film. If you have had the pleasure of reading the great book from hunter s. Bruce robinson f johnny depp, amber heard, marshall bell, and bruce robinson director on how they got bruce to direct the movie.
Rum diary is not a great novel by any means but it has flashes. The look and feel of the rum diary is almost as disjointed as the story is. Fortunately the rum diary is mostly an entertaining adaptation of thompsons story though, much like the book, few of kemps actual adventures work together to build a cohesive narrative. Written when he was still honing his skills, this novel shows peeks of the brilliant musical writing style thompson would become known for later in his career. Stills from the rum diary thompson wrote the rum diary, his second attempt at a novel, in the early 1960s, after having spent a year or. Rent the rum diary 2011 on dvd and bluray dvd netflix.
The primary location was the historic and oldest areas in the capital city of san juan. The manuscript, begun in 1959, was discovered amongst thompsons papers by johnny depp. It was one of his earliest works, written in the 1960s and was not published until 1998. Everything you need to know about the rum diary movie 2011. You can, however, have some fun tracking down exactly where it was filmed, not to mention where it wasnt. The bartender eyed me sullenly and i knew the reason whyi was wearing nothing that glistened.
The novel has been the national best seller 1 in the us the novel is based on the real life incidents of the author hunter s. This story of a charming thug was well marinated in his early days in louisville, kentucky. I regret not reading the rum diaries when it was first released, and its taken the release of the movie to prompt me, to read the book. Whats the difference between the rum diary the book and the rum diary the movie. Rent the rum diary 2011 starring johnny depp and aaron eckhart on dvd and bluray. But its an unofficial followup to 1998s fear and loathing in las vegas, and it marks the return of filmmaker bruce robinson, whose withnail and i. The rum diary movie departs from the book quite a bit, that is a fact. I would go as far to say that i actually like the rum diaries more. Set in san juan, puerto rico, in the late fifties and early sixties, the rum diary is vintage thompson. The rum diary quickly becomes like being the only sober person at a party. Daily record for destroying the office candy machine.
I dont have the book because i lent it out far too many times and god knows where it is now, but the scene is missing from the movie. Its too long and very sluggish in places, and theres no real payoff. Oct 27, 2011 the rum diary, written and directed by bruce robinson, expertly cannonballs into the grit and glam with raw exuberance. Thompsons roman a clef the rum diary, a frustratingly drawnout process thompson famously characterized as a waterhead. Thompson wrote the novel the rum diary in 1961, but it was not published. In order to make a go of it here, i would have to get some. Bruce robinson wrote the screenplay and directed the film, which stars johnny depp as journalist paul kemp.
Thompsons novelmemoir of the same name, was, like the book, set entirely in puerto rico. Kemp, the narrator gets involved with a woman who is with another man. The story involves a journalist named paul kemp who, in the 1950s, moves from new york to work for a major newspaper, the daily news, in san juan, puerto rico. Salon thompson flashes signs of the vitriol that would later be turned loose on society. It stars johnny depp, aaron eckhart, michael rispoli, amber heard, richard jenkins, and giovanni ribisi filming began in puerto rico in march 2009 and was released on october 28, 2011.
The movie doesnt secondguess thompson, but it never feels so slavishly faithful that it lacks a personality of its. I am not sure if the writerdirector bruce robinson spent the time to really read the book. The story involves a journalist named paul kemp who, in the 1950s, moves from new york to work for a major newspaper. Goodreads members who liked the rum diary also liked. A bad book can always be turned into a great movie. Oct 28, 2011 adopting the rumsoaked life of the island, paul soon becomes obsessed with chenault amber heard, the wildly attractive connecticutborn fiancee of sanderson aaron eckhart. Prince jellyfish, like most first novels, was drawn directly from his life. A then 22yearold thompson wrote the rum diary in 1959, but it was abandoned until johnny depp found it among thompsons papers decades later. Bruce robinson f johnny depp, amber heard, marshall bell, and bruce robinson director on how they got.
Suitably, the rum diary, an adaptation of thompsons book of the same name, is bruce robinsons first directorial effort in 19 years he also does the screenplay. The rum diary is a 2011 american comedydrama film written and directed by bruce robinson, based on the novel of the same name by hunter s. Oct 28, 2011 fortunately the rum diary is mostly an entertaining adaptation of thompsons story though, much like the book, few of kemps actual adventures work together to build a cohesive narrative. It was written in the early 1960s but was not published until 1998. In the book, some of the less savoury characters are actually more disgusting and objectionable than they are in the movie. So was amanda heard gang raped by blacks at the bar.
A book of his letters the proud highway was published last year to critical acclaim. I understood going in that it was a younger, less drug crazy lunyish hunter s. And even if you did not read the book, this film lacks drama, cinematic style, character arcs, a hooking intro, and satisfying end. Many drinks are poured so there is a bit of violence too. It is very much a young mans book, clearly based on thompsons own situation and some of the peoplemostly drunks and layaboutswho gravitated to. The rum diary isnt a perfect movie, not even close. The rum diary is a much more subdued and low key film in that regard. In 2011, the novel was made into a movie starring depp, aaron eckhart, amber heard, and giovanni ribisi.
The new film takes giant liberties with thompsons early novel. Im not a big drinker let alone a violent alcoholic, but hunter s. Thompson, the rum diary is a brilliantly tangled love story of jealousy, treachery, and violent alcoholic lust in. Really wanted to like the movie, but its just dull. The rum diary is a novel thompson wrote when he was 22 though not published until much later and still trying to figure out his path in life. The rum diary, based on an early novel by hunter s. In the early 1960s, after he had discovered booze but before he had stumbled across drugs, the young hunter s. The rum diary original soundtrack christopher young. The rum diary was released in 2011 on friday, october 28, 2011 in 2,272 theaters.
The book aspires to present an overview of thompsons work for rolling. Directed by cult filmmaker bruce robinson, the rum diary has all the ingredients of a cult classic in the making, but only for adults. I did enjoy the film though, it was quite different from the novel but it was a good piece in itself. Terry gilliam didnt bring the source material to life for me in fear and loathing. Oct 29, 2011 the rum diary, the movie made of hunter s. Old san juan is a colorful pastiche of caribbean pastels. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the rum diary. Thompson, revered by many as the voice of his generation, is on a roll. Find books like the rum diary from the worlds largest community of readers. Books similar to the rum diary meet your next favorite book. Not famous enough to sell a movie, if you believe the president of the. Sexual content the main character flirts with a woman a great deal.
Made into a major motion picture starring johnny depp, the rum diarya national bestseller and new york times notable book is hunter s. I didnt expect it to be graphically depicted or anything, but the way the movie deals with it is just be confusing. I went from being entirely uninterested to engaged and even slightly inspired. Differences between the rum diary book vs movie page 1. Not a place to start but if you are interested in a writer, going back and reading their early stuff i think is enlightening.
The washington post book world a remarkably full and mature first novel. I enjoyed reading it and hsts straight journalism articles from south america as i think they show his development as a writer. This take on the rum diary doesnt have that kind of crazy inside it. The black and white image of thompson that appears at the end of the movie, and appears on the book cover of the rum diary, is of the author on palm beach in aruba not puerto rico. I have read fear and loathing but not the rum diaries. The focus and main message that the rum diary was trying to get across is the decline and failure of the. I really dug the book, i like hsts style and depps interpretation, etc. Thompson himself travelled from new york to san juan in 1960 to write for an illfated sports newspaper on the island of puerto rico. The rum diaries is a great refreshing read like the breaks of the caribbean ocean. There were 10 other movies released on the same date, including puss in boots, in time and like crazy. Devouring aspirin to temper a wicked hangover, kemp shuffles through the steamy caribbean capitals streets to land a job at the local paper, the san juan star. Jul 08, 2018 the rum diary is a brilliantly tangled love story of jealousy, treachery, and violent alcoholic lust in the caribbean boomtown that was san juan, puerto rico, in the late 1950s.
I dont think a great book can always be turned in a great movie, in fact it is probaly easier to turn a great book into a bad movie. After watching the rum diary im curious what other people. Thompson wrote the book that his movie is based on. Instead, the film plays out like a series of moments which, by the end, may not provide the kind of payoff that some moviegoers might be expecting. Thompsons brilliant love story of jealousy, treachery, and violent lust in the caribbean.
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