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"THE RUM DIARY"
(2011) (Johnny Depp, Michael Rispoli) (R)


Alcohol/Drugs Extreme
Blood/Gross Stuff Mild
Disrespectful/Bad Attitude Heavy
Frightening/Tense Scenes Mild
Gun/Weapons Minor
Imitative Behavior Extreme
Jump Scenes None
Music (Scary/Tense) None
Music (Inappropriate) Minor
Profanity Extreme
Sex/Nudity Extreme
Smoking Extreme
Tense Family Scenes None
Topics to Talk About Heavy
Violence Moderate


QUICK TAKE:
Drama: An American writer takes a newspaper job in 1960s San Juan but finds himself distracted by his inability to avoid beautiful women and booze.
PLOT:
It's 1960 and unpublished novelist Paul Kemp (JOHNNY DEPP) has arrived in San Juan, Puerto Rico to write for The San Juan Star. Editor-in-chief Edward Lotterman (RICHARD JENKINS) likes Paul's resume and hopes he'll be more productive than the testy and rarely present Moburg (GIOVANNI RIBISI). The latter shares an apartment with the paper's photographer, Bob Salas (MICHAEL RISPOLI), and Paul eventually ends up moving in with them when his mini-bar tab at the local hotel goes through the roof.

Paul also draws the attention of Hal Sanderson (AARON ECKHART), a former paper employee who's now a politically connected PR consultant. With some investors wanting to put a hotel complex on a soon to be available island, Sanderson sees Paul as the best man to write copy that will manipulate the masses and powers-that-be to get in line with the project.

Paul agrees, but finds himself distracted by Sanderson's alluring girlfriend, Chenault (AMBER HEARD), who just wants to have fun. With booze and drugs ending up as additional distractions, Paul stumbles his way through his obligations and must eventually decide who he is and what he stands for.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?
Unless they're fans of someone in the cast or the early semi-fictionalized life of Hunter S. Thompson, it doesn't seem too likely.
WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R
For language, brief drug use and sexuality.


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