Angela Berliner, Hunter S. Thompson, Melissa Otero

A portrait of the late gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson.

Flixster Users

79% liked it

3,015 ratings

Critics

86% liked it

88 critics

R, 1 hr. 58 min.

Directed by: Alex Gibney

Release Date: January 20, 2008

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DVD Release Date: November 18, 2008

Stats: 932 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (932)


  • July 27, 2009
    good docu about a journalist who went over the top in an anti establishment kinda way. great viewing
  • May 31, 2009
    Learned a few things I didn't know about the father of Gonzo and the man considered an American treasure.
  • May 14, 2009
    Well made and thorough account of Thmpson's bizarre life, if a little enthrall to the myth and very sympathetic to his vast shortcomings.
  • December 31, 2008
    a fairly engrossing account of the life and times of the eccentric writer, especially his glory days of the late 60's, early 70's. here was a man who sadly became trapped by his image and by his own estimation, lived more than 30 years of his life on borrowed time. interesting ...( read more)variety of guest stars, from pat buchanan to jimmy buffet. johnny depp's narration annoyed me but this is highly watchable for those with an interest in hst or the counterculture movement
  • November 21, 2008
    Being a h u g e fan of Thompson's I was eagerly awating Gonzo, but found myself a little disappointed. Johnny Depp's narration seemed sporadic and the recreations seemed kind of lame. And those psychedelic backgrounds during a few of the interviews were a tad cliche. All the arch...( read more)ival footage and photos were great. But ultimately, Gonzo seemed to paint a fair portrait of the man--the good and the ugly. And of course some bad in there for good measure. In this movie's defense I did watch it pretty late and started nodding off toward the end. A revised review is forthcoming...
  • November 2, 2009
    A must see to examine the man and gonzo journalism - the madman of Rolling Stone that focused on the 60's-70's culture...
  • October 28, 2009
    If you were a fan of Hunter's writing - or you saw Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas...this would be the life of the real Hunter (aka Gonzo). Excellent and most entertaining documentary of the man himself, Hunter Thompson.
  • September 17, 2009
    Thompson is a icon, a legend, a mad man, but most of all one of my personal heros. The inventor of Gonzo journalism lived a life of indulgence and depravity that few understood. But in the end he had an understanding of the true nature of man and life in America that few, besides...( read more) him could see, let alone understand.
  • September 9, 2009
    Great documentary. I loved the home movie footage.
  • August 31, 2009
    Great documentary film. Well done.

Critic Reviews


December 19, 2008
Nigel Andrews, The Financial Times

Thompson must be looking down, or up, from his afterworld thinking: "The worst success is a failure to keep alive the spirit of offendedness and outrage." full review

July 4, 2008
A.O. Scott, The New York Times

Gonzo is a fascinating history lesson and a bit of a cautionary tale about how fame can turn into the scourge of talent.

July 4, 2008
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

It is all you could wish for in a doc about the man. But it leaves you wondering, how was it that so many people liked this man who does not seem to have liked himself? And what about the hangovers? full review

July 4, 2008
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

Gibney also wants to honor what it was that made Thompson a celebrity in the first place: his brilliant, blotto writing, and his ability to smell out the liars and the hypocrites and expose them for t... full review

July 3, 2008
Colin Covert, The Minneapolis Star Tribune

It's a fond warts-and-all portrait of a writer who stands alongside Jack Kerouac and Walt Whitman as an American original. full review

July 3, 2008
Claudia Puig, USA Today

Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson is a mesmerizing look at the mythic quality and anarchic spirit of the irreverent and rabble-rousing journalist. full review

June 25, 2008
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

The good doctor is family around these parts, so cheers to Alex Gibney for not screwing up this mesmerizing documentary about the people, places and substances that altered the mind and battered heart... full review

June 23, 2008
David Edelstein, New York Magazine

A tender, even-tempered elegy to a writer who at his peak could ingest staggering (literally) amounts of drugs and alcohol and transform, like Popeye after a can of spinach, into a superhuman version ... full review

View more Gonzo: The Life and Work of Hunter S. Thompson reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

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