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Parents' Guide to

The Rum Diary

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 18+

Hazy, rum-soaked cult classic in the making for adults only.

Movie R 2011 120 minutes
The Rum Diary Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

age 10+

Based on 2 parent reviews

age 12+

Johnny you've done it again.

great movie. A minor trippy drug scene where a tongue is writhing out a mouth like a snake and a brief sexual encounter seen through a telescope are the only kid unfriendly scenes along with some minor violence. The drinking, political unrest and language were in line with the location and the era. Great acting by Depp and support. Although not a historically correct drama, my 12 year old enjoyed the film and gained a minor understanding of the context surrounding the era, events and man. Oh and you should not pay attention to a review from people who have not actualy watch the movie....ignorance breeds ignorance.

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
age 8+

.

good movie

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (1 ):

THE RUM DIARY definitely isn't for everyone. It's too long and very sluggish in places, and there's no real payoff. But it's an unofficial follow-up to 1998's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and it marks the return of filmmaker Bruce Robinson, whose Withnail and I has already attained cult classic status. Add that to Hunter S. Thompson's unwavering underground prominence, and you have a cult classic in the making. And most of The Rum Diary is good enough to deserve it.

Best of all is Robinson's dry, British wit mingling with Thompson's raucous, biting prose, which results in some eminently quotable lines (like "my tongue feels like a towel"). Though it's not as consistently crazy as Fear and Loathing, Depp's performance is more measured and more sympathetic here, and the movie captures some vivid snapshots of Puerto Rico in action. While it's not 100% successful, most of the time it will have you either laughing hysterically or mad as hell.

Movie Details

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