Rum Diary (2012)

Based on Hunter S. Thompson's 2nd novel of the same title, "The Rum Diary" is where Johnny Depp plays writer Paul Kemp set in the 1960s Puerto Rico.  In contrast to Depp's previous roles of odd-ball characters from Scissorhands-to-pirate type, this one is somewhat "normal".  This movie is really about how greed, power and money can control the average person's destiny, which in this case, is about powerful interests shutting down a local Puerto Rican newspaper who had hired Kemp.  That feeling of hopelessness?  Get used to it.  That's how the real world works.  If a powerful person or corporation (which I guess in 21 century America, is a redundant term because every corporation in the U.S. of A gets the same rights as a living, breathing human being) wants you out of the equation, there's not much you can really do.  The movie is depressingly close to reality -- all attempts to print one last edition to expose big business failed, Kemp didn't get the bad guy, realtor Hal Sanderson (played by Aaron Eckart).  I've never read anything by Thompson but if anything triggers my interest in his writing, this is it.  (I'm just afraid the book would ruin the movie.  Or is it the other way around?)