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Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson
Magnolia Pictures

Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson reviews


7.4

based on 28 reviews
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based on 5 votes
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FILM:

MPAA RATING: R for drug and sexual content, language and some nudity

Starring Johnny Depp, Jimmy Carter, George McGovern, Pat Buchanan, Jann Wenner, Tom Wolfe, Jimmy Buffett, and Ralph Steadman

From Oscar-winning director Alex Gibney and producer Graydon Carter comes a probing look into the uncanny life of national treasure and gonzo journalism inventor Dr. Hunter S. Thompson. A fast-moving, wildly entertaining documentary with an iconic soundtrack, the film addresses the major touchstones in Thompson's life--his intense and ill-fated relationship with the Hells Angels, his near-successful bid for the office of sheriff in Aspen in 1970, the notorious story behind the landmark Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, his deep involvement in Senator George McGovern's 1972 presidential campaign, and much more. Narrated by Johnny Depp. (Magnolia Pictures)

GENRE(S):	Documentary
DIRECTED BY:	Alex Gibney
RELEASE DATE:	DVD: November 18, 2008 Theatrical: July 4, 2008
RUNNING TIME:	118 minutes, Color
ORIGIN:	USA

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

Entertainment Weekly Owen Gleiberman

The movie also captures Thompson's tragedy: the haze of drugs and bad writing that consumed him for no less than his last 30 years.

The Hollywood Reporter Kirk Honeycutt

A biographical documentary doesn't get any better than this.

The New York Times A.O. Scott

It is to Mr. Gibney’s great credit that while he pays due attention to the outsize, cartoonish celebrity persona Thompson fell back on when his literary powers began to wane, this film concentrates on the bold, innovative journalism that secured Thompson’s reputation and assures his immortality.

Salon.com Andrew O'Hehir

Gibney's immensely funny and sad new motion picture Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson -- the "Dr." was a mail-order divinity degree -- is principally intended to rehabilitate Thompson and introduce his work to a new audience.

Film Threat Pete Vonder Haar

The July 4th release is fitting, for Thompson was a true patriot. His longstanding association with the counterculture notwithstanding, Thompson loved this country and the things it once stood for, and his voice is sorely missed today, and whether you were a fan of his work or not, you'll find Gonzo well worth your time.

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

It leaves you wondering, how was it that so many people liked this man who does not seem to have liked himself?

Rolling Stone Peter Travers

Johnny Depp, who paid for the 2005 funeral in which Thompson's ashes were fired out of a cannon, narrates with just the right mix of awe and impertinence.

USA Today Claudia Puig

A mesmerizing look at the mythic quality and anarchic spirit of the irreverent and rabble-rousing journalist.

New York Magazine David Edelstein

A tender, even-tempered elegy to a writer who at his peak could ingest staggering (literally) amounts of drugs and alcohol and transform, like Popeye after a can of spinach, into a superhuman version of himself--more trenchant, more cutting, more hilarious than any political journalist before or since.

Variety Dennis Harvey

Subject's career being inextricably tied to two extremely entertaining U.S. decades, Gonzo has a wealth of delightful archival footage to draw on, both directly involving Thompson and evoking the cultural landscape around him.

Chicago Tribune Tasha Robinson

Like Thompson's work itself, it sometimes feels like a smoke screen, a colorful but distracting, distracted set of pretenses hiding as much as they reveal.

The Onion (A.V. Club) Keith Phipps

It's more Thompson-for-beginners than an exhaustive inquiry, but as introductions go, it's thorough and thoughtful.

TV Guide Ken Fox

This handsomely mounted documentary takes the same, indulgent tone that at lot of Thompson's friends and associates seem to have had.

San Francisco Chronicle Mick LaSalle

The film is thorough and entertaining. It's enthusiastic about his contributions, but it's no hagiography, and it serves as both a celebration and a cautionary tale.

Philadelphia Inquirer Steven Rea

Johnny Depp, who portrayed Thompson's alter-ego in Gilliam's film, provides the narration. If there's hagiography here, it's counterbalanced by biographical truth.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer William Arnold

The film is annoyingly sketchy on Thompson's early years and education, and it spends so much time on his coverage of the 1972 presidential election and his own race for sheriff of Aspen, Colo., that major aspects of his career get short shrift or go unmentioned.

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Stephen Cole

An amused and affectionate look at the writer who formed a crucial link between the New Journalism of the 1960s and today's blogosphere.

Chicago Reader J.R. Jones

Feels a little soft and boomer-indulgent with its 10,000th rehash of the Nixon years and its soundtrack of trite 60s anthems.

Village Voice Jim Ridley

While the evidence of his spotty post-1970s work is hard to refute, Gonzo proves what a vapid, overvalued commodity edginess is, championing Thompson's best work for brass-tacks insight more than brass-balled outrage.

Portland Oregonian Shawn Levy

Because there was anarchy and randomness in Thompson's life and work, you find it in Gonzo.

Christian Science Monitor Peter Rainer

We are treated to all manner of worshipy recollections from a stable of Thompson's admirers, including, believe it or not, Patrick Buchanan and James Baker. Who said gonzo politics doesn't make for strange bedfellows?

Austin Chronicle Josh Rosenblatt

There's a nagging sense throughout Gonzo that, despite his late-life decline into caricature, Thompson was too complex, too self-mythologized, too big, too American to ever fit onscreen – especially in a movie aiming for "objectivity," which was, for Thompson, the worst of all possible words.

Charlotte Observer Lawrence Toppman

So I was curious to see why we needed a two-hour documentary about the three-hit wonder who cast away his career halfway through life and coasted on celebrity status for 30 years. After seeing Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson, I'm still not convinced we do.

New York Post Kyle Smith

It may be impossible to make an uninteresting documentary about Hunter S. Thompson, but is it unfair to ask Gonzo for more Hunter and less Jimmy Carter?

Boston Globe Wesley Morris

Thompson - his brilliance, his self-destruction, and the ground he broke - is always at the center, but the film occasionally loses its focus.

Time Richard Schickel

I think Gonzo, which is wonderfully rich in historical footage, needs some skeptics, some voices suggesting that maybe, just maybe, Thompson was part of the problem, not the solution, when America flirted briefly with revolution (or was it merely anarchy?), leaving consequences that continue to resonate today -- and not always to our advantage.

Los Angeles Times Kenneth Turan

Instead of pushing for tough answers to difficult questions, this film is content to mythologize Thompson's bad-boy behavior, celebrating things like his willingness to drink a bottle of bourbon a day and go hunting with a submachine gun.

Washington Post Stephen Hunter

It seems to celebrate him more for his attitude, his fashionably leftist politics, his fame and his friendships than for any meaningful accomplishment.

The average user rating for this movie is 7.4 (out of 10) based on 5 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Tom W. gave it a9:
Absolutely brilliant shows insight to work of Thompson and its impact on our society.

Jay Higgins gave it a6:
Well done documentary about an interesting but very unlikeable person. Thorough in it's research, excellent archive footage and well edited. Although Hunter S Thompson is interesting, I am not enthralled with his life.

Serrin A. gave it an8:
First matinee, opening day, on the world-famous 4th of July: theater one-third full. Audience primarily domesticated primates along with bats and gila monsters. While leaving home, did not know if there'd be two other guys in there or if it'd be sold out. Mandatory viewing for the HST fan satisfying Life Completion Requirements. Suggested viewing for the HST-curious. Was mildly surprised by how well regarded he was by mainstream famous figures interviewed (McGovern, Carter, Buchanon, etc). Of course, nothing boosts one's popularity more than a visit from the Grim Reaper. The 'declining years' segment of the film demonstrated that he was out of steam and knew it, suggesting that 'out with a bang' was the most logical option for The Doomed. When looking up reviews, was also surprised by the 'sexual content' and 'nudity' warnings. Was expecting 'drug content' and 'language,' to be sure, concluded that there must be an interview where he's simply outside, walking around naked while talking to camera. Turns out he enjoyed the classical Underground Literary Bad Boy Party Life of the era, a la Philip K Dick... an amusing scene comes to mind where he's simply showing some pictures to a couple of guests; they're asking questions, he's pointing at things--perfectly average example of 'entertaining guests.' The guests just happen to be naked ladies (and in grievous contrast to HST's standard attire). Will concur with official professional reviewer observation above regarding tried-and-tawdry pop song selection. Would wager HST listened to most of them once... but as far as I'd know, they were among his favorites and should best shut up. Damn! Out of ibogaine.

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Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson Magnolia Pictures

Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson
Magnolia Pictures