A documentary portrait of the late gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson, that features very unique archival footage, both directly involving Thompson and evoking the cultural landscape around him.
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Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. ThompsonDirected byAlex Gibney
What it lacks in fresh illumination it makes up for in its reverent praise of the kind of extraordinary life that makes you feel like you've been dragging your heels through yours.
I never much cared for Thompson's work but I'm always happy to learn more about cult and counter cultural figures. This documentary is perfectly executed, perfectly balanced, and it doesn't get bogged down in dull biographical details, spending more time on the "work". Thompson comes across as a unique writer who wrote himself into a corner; an interesting character you wouldn't want as a neighbour.
I had this film on my laptop for quite a while and I just didn’t put myself watching it, I regret that I didn’t saw it earlier, really.
What can I say, one of the best documentary I’ve ever seen. It makes you laugh, it makes you think, it makes you fell into it. It’s one hell of a piece.
As a documentary about an iconic man with a hell of a life story, it's disjointed and unmoving. Due to feeling both scatterbrained and unfocused it just meanders along and doesn't really catch a good stride, nor hits emotional buttons. While the anecdotes and stories of Hunter's life make it known his life's fire surely did and will burn bright for many years, it doesn't do it in an engaging manner. A cold portrait.
3 1/2 out of 5 stars. I remember not being too thrilled with Gonzo when I originally saw it, but I've come around some since then. The archival footage was nice even if I've already seen a great deal of it before. Nothing really new was revealed (although the funeral footage was cool) and it felt like the last 25 years of Thompson's life was kind of glossed over. Felt like more of a celebration than a documentary.
Offered very little insight about Hunter that wasn't already evident in his writing. The best part was his first wife openly stating that he was nowhere near his best when he died and he should have gotten his act together instead of quitting.