THE RUM DIARY

If this film was based on a true story I can excuse the blandness in the plot, but this being a fictional tale…WTF? Ever heard of something called “Dramatic License?” This film is a proponent of the old saying “truth is stranger than fiction” because it’s desperately in need of some strange. Instead of weirdness in the plot, there’s certainly weirdness in the dialogue with a number of abstract mumbles and rants. Depp has made an art form of playing quirky and kooky characters, so he delivers. But the stand-out performance is by Ribisi, he takes nuttiness to new levels. The cinematography presents the “tourist brochure” look of Puerto Rico, not the “travelers guide” look. The film has no signature score, soundtrack or editing style and most of the blame falls on the shoulders of writer/director Bruce Robinson. The last film Robinson directed was in 1992, the nineteen year hiatus is clearly evident in this flop of a flick.

Rating: 3/10

S. V. Fernando