This film covers a period of four years, from 1968 to 1972, in the life of gonzo journalist Hunter S Thompson. Through the film we see various episodes; many including his friend and lawyer Carl Lazlo. These episodes see him reporting on a San Francisco drug trial in 1968; preparing to report on the 1972 Super Bowl in Los Angeles; witnessing weapons being smuggled to would-be revolutionaries and finally covering the campaign to re-elect President Nixon.
This is a strange but funny film about a man who was far from conventional. While Thompson was obviously a real person how much of what we see is even vaguely true is far from obvious... that hardly matters though. Bill Murray is on great form as Thompson... a character who would seem unbelievable if he wasn't real! Peter Boyle is similarly good as Lazlo; when the two of them are together things get hilarious. As with all episodic films some sections are better than others; the courtroom scene and the events in Hunter's hotel room were very funny but his interview with Nixon in a public toilet was less so. Overall I found this to be pretty funny; it certainly contained enough laugh out loud moments to make it worth watching... as I don't know enough about the real Hunter S Thompson I can't speculate on whether it will please his fans.
This is a strange but funny film about a man who was far from conventional. While Thompson was obviously a real person how much of what we see is even vaguely true is far from obvious... that hardly matters though. Bill Murray is on great form as Thompson... a character who would seem unbelievable if he wasn't real! Peter Boyle is similarly good as Lazlo; when the two of them are together things get hilarious. As with all episodic films some sections are better than others; the courtroom scene and the events in Hunter's hotel room were very funny but his interview with Nixon in a public toilet was less so. Overall I found this to be pretty funny; it certainly contained enough laugh out loud moments to make it worth watching... as I don't know enough about the real Hunter S Thompson I can't speculate on whether it will please his fans.