The Libertine
Drama
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"The Libertine" is a dark wonderfully acted character study that very few will be able to appreciate.
Going into "The Libertine" earlier today, I did not know what to expect of the film. What I did expect was an empty theater with only a few other people and myself because I have never seen any form of advertising for it. To my surprise, the theater was almost completely filled at the 4pm showing. The movie near the end got all sorts of responses. Some said that it was the greatest thing Johnny Depp has done while others complained and moaned about how dull it was. So the film seemed to get a mixed reaction. But this review isn't about everyone else's reaction to the film it's about mine so continue reading to find out what I thought about "The Libertine."
"The Libertine" is based on a play by Stephen Jeffreys. In the movie, Johnny Depp plays John Wilmot, the Earl of Rochester who was best known for being a 17th century poet. His life was never a happy one as he drank and debauched his way through life and into an early grave. Only near his time of death did Rochester earn his critical acclaim for his life's work. An interesting, dark, and depressing character study ensues.
When the credits appeared on the screen at the end of "The Libertine" I just sat there thinking and analyzing what I just witness. One thing that came to mind instantly was wow Johnny Depp never seizes to amaze me. His portrayal of the Earl of Rochester was brilliant. I think Depp plays each character he plays with such ease and he is clearly one of the best actors in Hollywood. The other actors in the movie also did a marvelous job including Samantha Morton, an almost unrecognizable John Malkovich, and Rosamund Pike. The acting all around was excellent.
Now after thinking about the film for a good hour, I have come to the conclusion that I did indeed really like the film. It was a very dark, depressing, and sometimes repulsive character study about an unlikable man who somehow near the ends wins almost everyone over. In the opening prologue of "The Libertine" Rochester says, "You will not like me; I don't want you to like me?" And surely from the weird beginning throughout the entire movie does the audience begin to loathe Depp's character the Earl of Rochester but somewhere near the end the film the entire mood changes and the audience feels differently.
This is not a movie for a main-stream audience. This is a movie that most would say is dull, boring and long but that's because most people aren't used to movies like this. At first I even thought the movie was dull and didn't quite understand what its point was but as the film went on and I stayed focused I realized what it was about and was amazed by how it was pulled off in the end. What I was utterly amazed about though when watching this movie was the fact that no one walked out because I went to a mainstream theater in Pennsylvania to see this film.
"The Libertine" was directed by first time filmmaker Laurence Dunmore who did a decent job directing the film. I feel his directing style was a bit amateurish with one too many scenes blurring in one person and blurring out the other. The film also looked extremely low budget at times as well. I think Mr. Dunmore did a good job capturing the emotions of the characters including their anger and frustration but some of the shots were disappointing.
So in the end, "The Libertine" is a movie for a very small crowd. I can see how people can love this film and I can see how an even large portion of people would hate this film. With that being said I recommend this movie for fans of Johnny Depp and people who enjoy slow moving character studies. If you're not into Depp or movies that are very dramatic, raw and slowly paced I will suggest you avoid this movie. I think at least for me the character development and performances are worth the price of admission. This movie is very dark and really earns its R rating with a lot of sexual content and language. Overall this movie is probably one that those who like it will want to see it again because it's a lot to capture in one viewing. For all those who like fast paced big budget films I would suggest that you avoid this one its no "Pirates of The Caribbean."
MovieManMenzel's final rating for "The Libertine" is an 8/10. A must see for fans of period pieces and character studies.
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