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Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)

Director: Terry Gilliam

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From Time Out Film Guide

Everyone tries so hard at getting this adaptation of Hunter S Thompson's gonzo classic just right that one would love to like it more. Certainly, Gilliam pulls out the stops with the hallucinatory madness - the film does at least look good - and Depp and Del Toro, as the drug deranged heroes exploring the darkest excesses of the American Dream in 1971 Vegas, give their energetic all. The trouble is, they end up mugging like mad, and it's all too relentlessly weird, wacky and tacky: it takes an hour before the pace calms down sufficiently to let in a few laughs, and only Barkin, in a brief (and superior) scene towards the end anchors the manic antics in some sort of human reality. A film of brilliant moments, but sadly less coherent - and, on senses, rather less personal - than most of Gilliam's work.

Author: GA 0000-00-00 00:00:00

Time Out Film Guide

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Cast & crew

Director: Terry Gilliam

Producer: Stephen Nemeth, Leila Nabulsi, Patrick Casavetti

Cast: Johnny Depp, Benicio Del Toro, Christina Ricci, Ellen Barkin, Cameron Diaz, Gary Busey, Harry Dean Stanton full cast

Duration: 118 mins

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