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09/04/08
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Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson (2008)
89 %
Reviews Counted: 61 Fresh: 54 Rotten:7 Average Rating: 7/10
Consensus:
While not the comprehensive profile of the man that his die-hard fans might have hoped for, Gonzo remains an insightful introduction to the life of rebellious writer Hunter S. Thompson and his influences.
Rated: R [See Full Rating]
Runtime: 1 hr 58 mins
Theatrical Release: Jul 2, 2008 Limited
Box Office: $1,031,095
Synopsis: Few journalists have attained the notoriety of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson. His legendary status is due as much to his scintillating writing as his outrageous antics. He became a living legend whose persona often overshadowed his work. However, Thompson's steadfast ability to remain true to his... [More]
Genre: Education/General Interest
Starring: Gary Hart, George McGovern, Jann Wenner, Jimmy Buffett, Jimmy Carter
Director: Alex Gibney
Story: Alex Gibney
Producer: Alex Gibney, Graydon Carter, Jason Kliot, Joana Vicente, Alison Ellwood, Eva Orner
Composer: David Schwartz
Story: Alex Gibney
Producer: Alex Gibney, Graydon Carter, Jason Kliot, Joana Vicente, Alison Ellwood, Eva Orner
Composer: David Schwartz
Reviews
I wanted more unearthed footage. But if you are looking for a tribute to the man, you won't find anything better.
08/27/08
Thompson admirers will enjoy the film the most, of course, but even the uninitiated will surely find him a fascinating character, if not always a likable one.
08/14/08
Filmmaker Alex Gibney had access to those who knew the guy, the famous, the infamous and the obscure, and he paints a picture of a serious journalist who saw himself documenting 'the death of the American Dream.'
08/08/08
As informative as parts of it are, the movie is not nearly as colorful as longtime Aspen, Colo., resident Thompson.
08/08/08
Though Thompson's long slide into irrelevance in the 80s and 90s is duly noted, most of the movie covers his glory days during the Vietnam era, when he was arguably the most exciting and important literary talent in America.
08/08/08
Top Critic
In the manner of such key Thompson works as 'Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72,' the movie links entertaining personal biography with fascinating cultural history...
08/08/08
As a diverting documentary, Gonzo lives up to its subject matter - it is indulgent and witty, filled with a thousand little insights and ultimately sad. Thompson seemed obscure to his family, cartoonishly overblown to his friends.
08/08/08
Far more insightful than typical rose-colored-glasses eulogizing, the subjects are as brutally honest about Thompson's successes and shortcomings as Thompson was as a writer.
08/06/08
It's altogether as fascinating as a train wreck, and Gibney makes a convincing argument that Thompson was a true American original and an important literary figure shaped by the idealism, romanticism, politics and drug culture of the '60s.
07/28/08
It's good stuff, and serves as a valuable piece of recent history to be documented.
07/26/08
Gonzo director Gibney frees himself from the heady topicality of his recent documentaries...and dives right down into the deep -- and dark -- end.
07/18/08
[Director] Gibney assembles a wealth of Thompson memorabilia and first-person interviews for this often insightful and sometimes overly indulgent chronicle.
07/18/08
Top Critic
Reading his books will give you better insight, but it's hard to imagine a better primer into Thompson's outlaw life.
07/18/08
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, I'm still not convinced we do.
07/18/08
An amused and affectionate look at the writer who formed a crucial link between the New Journalism of the 1960s and today's blogosphere.
07/18/08
Top Critic
At its worst, the film takes a long detour into Thompson's admiration for an utterly banal 1974 Carter speech (The Powerful were sticking it to The People again) as a way to make us feel virtuous, political and leftish.
07/16/08
Top Critic
Thompson created a rebellious niche for himself in a business that more often than you might think channels its writers into conformist routine.
07/15/08
It's nice to be reminded, as Shakespeare taught us, that truth comes from the most unexpected places, even the booze-ree
07/14/08
If you really want to understand and appreciate [Thompson], you'd be better off reading his books.
07/11/08
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• Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson at Rotten Tomatoes
• Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson at IGN
• Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson at AskMen
• Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson at IGN
• Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson at AskMen
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