Gonzo director Gibney frees himself from the heady topicality of his recent documentaries...and dives right down into the deep -- and dark -- end.
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07/18/08
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Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson (2008)
86 %
Reviews Counted: 51 Fresh: 44 Rotten:7 Average Rating: 6.9/10
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.
Runtime: 1 hr 58 mins
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
[Director] Gibney assembles a wealth of Thompson memorabilia and first-person interviews for this often insightful and sometimes overly indulgent chronicle.
07/18/08
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
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
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
Neatly balancing full-hearted celebration with evenhanded examination.
07/11/08
It's more Thompson-for-beginners than an exhaustive inquiry, but as introductions go, it's thorough and thoughtful.
07/11/08
My favorite thing about Alex Gibney's entertaining documentary, Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thomspon, is that it makes me want to read what Thompson wrote.
07/07/08
Gonzo is a painstaking account of a man who was more and, ultimately, less than the infamous Raoul Duke.
07/05/08
May not be the definitive doc for which Thompson's fans may be hoping, but it is a worthy contribution to the ongoing popular legend of a distinctive American personality.
07/04/08
I wanted more unearthed footage. But if you are looking for a tribute to the man, you won't find anything better.
07/04/08
Gonzo is a fascinating history lesson and a bit of a cautionary tale about how fame can turn into the scourge of talent.
07/04/08
Top Critic
It is all you could wish for in a doc about the man. But it leaves you wondering, how was it that so many people liked this man who does not seem to have liked himself? And what about the hangovers?
07/04/08
Top Critic
Gibney also wants to honor what it was that made Thompson a celebrity in the first place: his brilliant, blotto writing, and his ability to smell out the liars and the hypocrites and expose them for the feral beasts that they were.
07/04/08
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(2008/Docu)-"GONZO: The Life and Work of Hunter S. Thompson" opens on July 4th!!!
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• Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson at Rotten Tomatoes
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• 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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