Movie Review

Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson (2008)

Reviewed by Owen Gleiberman | Jul 04, 2008

Owen Gleiberman

Owen Gleiberman is a film critic for EW

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EW's GRADE

A-

Details Limited Release: Jul 04, 2008; Genre: Documentary; With: Hunter S. Thompson

HUNTER AND GATHERER Director Alex Gibney traces the triumph and tragedy of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson in his documentary Gonzo

Gonzo, the documentary by Alex Gibney, taps the full fascination of its subject: Dr. Hunter S. Thompson, the rock & roll Norman Mailer who styled himself as the last honest man in the American asylum, only to be destroyed by his legend. Gibney devotes exhaustive sections to Thompson's journalistic landmarks (Hell's Angels, etc.), as well as to his 1969 candidacy for mayor of Aspen — the moment his robo-voiced ''Gonzo'' persona inflated into a comic-book alter ego. The movie also captures Thompson's tragedy: the haze of drugs and bad writing that consumed him for no less than his last 30 years. A-

Originally posted Jul 02, 2008 Published in issue #1001 Jul 11, 2008 Order article reprints

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