Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson
Seen it?2008 | 120 min | Documentary
Sunday Safe Betearly ratingWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
It earned strong reviews (86% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had almost no lasting buzz and soft box office. A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for the curious. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Eye-opening.
- The pace
- Moves along nicely, at 2 hr.
- What might put you off
- Rated R: meant for adults.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
Fueled by a raging libido, Wild Turkey, and superhuman doses of drugs, Thompson was a true "free lance, " goring sacred cows with impunity, hilarity, and a steel-eyed conviction for writing wrongs. Focusing on the good doctor's heyday, 1965 to 1975, the film includes clips of never-before-seen (nor heard) home movies, audiotapes, and passages from unpublished manuscripts.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
86% on Rotten Tomatoes, 73 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
6.9 out of 10
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Box office & staying powerBelow par
$2 million worldwide; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactWeak
About 7K people sought it out in the past year, and interest is climbing
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Alex Gibney
- Hunter S. ThompsonSelf (archive footage)
- Johnny DeppNarrator (voice)
- Sonny BargerSelf
- Muhammad AliSelf (archive footage)
- Warren BeattySelf (archive footage)
- George W. BushSelf (archive footage)
- Edmund MuskieSelf (archive footage)