Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

Starring: Johnny Depp, Benicio del Toro, Tobey Maguire, Ellen Barkin, Cameron Diaz, Christina Ricci, Gary Busey
Directed by: Terry Gilliam
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Box Office: $
1998

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A journalist (Johnny Depp) and his his lawyer (Benicio del Toro) head to Las Vegas to search for the American dream, accompanied by an enormous amount of drugs and alcohol.

Review:

Tim: What an absolutely crazy journey. It is hard to know what to think about this movie because my head is still spinning from the trip that is watching this film (it is not spinning because of any illegal substances, I promise). Everyone involved, from writer Hunter S. Thompson, to the cast, to director Terry Gilliam, have gone all out to create a surreal, humorous, and unforgettable film.

A great deal of credit must go to Johnny Depp for his remarkable performance. I don't think I will ever know how he was able to transform himself or upon which pools of energy he conjured up for this exhaustively quirky role. It is awe-inspiring to see Depp in this state, and he delivers a mesmerizingly odd performance. Benicio del Toro does a valiant job at trying to keep pace with Depp. He is excellent as well, and it took me some time to even believe it was him I was watching. There are a number of other helpful supporting performances, but none are worth more than a quick mention (Tobey Maguire).

There are some truly terrific scenes. I absolutely love the opening car scene with the "bats." It perfectly sets the stage for the rest of the movie, letting the audience know exactly what they are in for. There are some remarkably funny lines. The entire film is completely quotable. Alas, the ridiculousness of the characters and of their situations eventually get on our nerves. Sure, at first, they are hilarious and novel, but eventually, we tire of the characters, and it is there that the movie breaks down.

Still, there are numerous positives compared to only a few negatives, and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is a movie experience that you will not soon forget.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Ed Wood, Edward Scissorhands