The Rum Diary (2011)

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.

Director:

Bruce Robinson

Writers:

Bruce Robinson (screenplay), Hunter S. Thompson (novel)

Stars:

Johnny Depp, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Rispoli

1 win & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Johnny Depp	...	Kemp
Aaron Eckhart	...	Sanderson
Michael Rispoli	...	Sala
Amber Heard	...	Chenault
Richard Jenkins	...	Lotterman
Giovanni Ribisi	...	Moberg
Amaury Nolasco	...	Segarra
Marshall Bell	...	Donovan
Bill Smitrovich	...	Mr. Zimburger
Julian Holloway	...	Wolsley
Bruno Irizarry	...	Lazar
Enzo Cilenti	...	Digby
Aaron Lustig	...	Monk
Tisuby González	...	Rosy
Natalia Rivera	...	Chenault's Friend

Storyline

Hard-drinking journalist Paul Kemp takes a job at a besieged newspaper in San Juan, Puerto Rico. His volatile editor, Lotterman, assigns him to tourist pieces and horoscopes, but promises more. Paul rooms with Sala, an aging and equally alcoholic reporter, in a rundown flat. Sanderson, a wealthy entrepreneur, hires Paul to flack for a group of investors who plan to buy an island near the capital and build a resort. Sanderson's girl-friend, the beguiling Chenault, bats her eyes at Paul. His loyalties face challenges when he and Sala get in trouble with locals, when a Carnival dance enrages Sanderson, and when the paper hits the skids. Is the solution always alcohol?

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Plot Keywords:

journalist | newspaper | island | tourist | carnival | 

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Taglines:

One part outrage. One part justice. Three parts rum. Mix well.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, brief drug use and sexuality

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [France]

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish German

Release Date:

28 October 2011 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hunter S. Thompson's The Rum Diary

Filming Locations:

San Juan, Puerto Rico

Box Office

Budget:

$45,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$5,135,369 (USA) (28 October 2011)

Gross:

$13,100,042 (USA) (16 December 2011)

Company Credits

Production Co:

GK Films, Infinitum Nihil, FilmEngine

Technical Specs

Runtime:

120 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Marks the second time that Johnny Depp appears in a movie adaptation of a Hunter S. Thompson novel. The first time was Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

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Goofs

A Jacuzzi was referred to just before Kemp signed the contract. The movie took place in 1960 and the Jacuzzi wasn't invented until 1968.

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Quotes

Paul Kemp: I tend to avoid alcohol.
[pause]
Paul Kemp: [takes a bottle of alcohol] When I can.

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Connections

Featured in Great Movie Mistakes IV (2012)

User Reviews

One king hell of a movie for HST fans.

I'm a huge Hunter S Thompson fan, but I was feeling very weary of this film since it has been shelved for almost a year now. I attended the world premiere last night, and I can report with absolute sincerity that if you loved HST's work, this will not disappoint.

The one problem many die hard fans of the book may have is with the character of Sanderson. In the book Paul Kemp and Sanderson represent the dueling persona's of Hunter, one being a cutthroat athletic type, the other being the booze-hound anti-authoritarian. In this film, Johnny Depp plays more to the character being a young HST and combines the characteristics of both into Kemp. Some may have a problem with this, but the movie is stronger for it as you are only rooting for the protagonist while giving the story a strong antagonist, a necessity in filmmaking.

In my eyes, this is Bruce Robinson's best work on screen to date, Johnny Depp is absolutely awe-inspiringly believable as a very young and constrained Hunter, and the cast could not have been more dead on. I'll be seeing this several more times in the theaters in the coming months.