Gonzo: The Life and Work of Hunter S. Thompson (2007)

86% of critics liked it
(93 reviews)
81% of users liked it
(39,988 ratings)

Alex Gibney (director of (Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room) turns his attention from corporate scandal to Gonzo journalism with this tribute to the libido-driven, Wild Turkey-swilling writer who never knew the meaning of the word "excess." Comprised largely of never-before-seen archival… More Alex Gibney (director of (Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room) turns his attention from corporate scandal to Gonzo journalism with this tribute to the libido-driven, Wild Turkey-swilling writer who never knew the meaning of the word "excess." Comprised largely of never-before-seen archival materials, Gibney's film focuses on the years between 1965 and 1975, when Hunter S. Thompson was truly firing on all cylinders. Rare home movies, audiotapes, and excerpts from unpublished manuscripts combine to paint an affectionate portrait to the wild-eyed father of Gonzo journalism. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 59 min.
Directed By: Alex Gibney
Genres: Documentary, Special Interest

In Theaters: Jan 20, 2008 Wide
On DVD: Nov 18, 2008
Studio: Magnolia Pictures

Critic Reviews

Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic
Gonzo is an excellent reminder that Thompson was more than just a wild man. He was, at least for a time, a first-rate writer who covered his times and helped shape them.
Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor
The worshipfulness obscures the sadder aspects of Thompson's life, which is perhaps why Gibney focuses on the writer's 1965-75 golden years.
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times
Too much time in this overly long film is spent on minutiae.
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel
Filmmaker Alex Gibney had access to those who knew the guy, the famous, the infamous and the obscure, and he paints a picture of a serious journalist who saw himself documenting 'the death of the American Dream.'
J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader
Though Thompson's long slide into irrelevance in the 80s and 90s is duly noted, most of the movie covers his glory days during the Vietnam era, when he was arguably the most exciting and important literary talent in America.
Peter Howell, Toronto Star
[Director] Gibney assembles a wealth of Thompson memorabilia and first-person interviews for this often insightful and sometimes overly indulgent chronicle.
Kelly Vance, East Bay Express
Thompson is dead but his skepticism survives. In the land of endless corruption, the muckraker is king, if only in the moral sense.
Mike Edwards, What Culture
This movie has confirmed my suspicion that people need to leave Hunter S. Thompson's story alone for a while.
Simon Foster, sbs.com.au
Alex Gibney's documentary (aligns) the Gonzo's descent into madness with the decline of American values.
Ian Buckwalter, DCist
Gonzo's brilliance is in showing Thompson warts and all, without taking anything away from his greatness even as it shows his many deficiencies.
Jennifer Merin, About.com
Alex Gibney's documentary about bad boy journalist Dr. Hunter S. Thompson is both a memorial exaltation and a lament. Gibney's masterful style balances verite and dramatic effect. He doesn't doesn't tell you what to think, but spurs you to think.
Robert Roten, Laramie Movie Scope
A colorful documentary about the famed journalist and author, Hunter S. Thompson, spiced up with movie clips of "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" and other works based on Thompson's writings.
Angie Errigo, Empire Magazine
A definitive, accessible, even inspiring screen biography put together with thought and vitality.
Dave Calhoun, Time Out
The film's plea that we need Thompson now more than ever is a little misty-eyed: Thompson's day was long gone by the time he put a gun to his head.
Richard Luck, Film4
Much like the man himself, it's quite a piece of work.
James Christopher, Times [UK]
Gonzo is much more than a tribute to a maverick and genuine pioneer. It's a lament for the gaping hole that Thompson left behind. The only obvious weakness is Gibney's reluctance to engage fully with Thompson's toxic personal life.
Peter Bradshaw, Guardian [UK]
This documentary about his life by Alex Gibney, though entertaining in many ways, is oddly uninterested in his strengths or otherwise as a writer, the very gift for which Thompson earnestly wished to be known.
Tim Evans, Sky Movies
Director Alex Gibney has plundered 200 hours of audiotapes, hundreds of photos and personal testimony from an impressive roster of Thompson's colleagues and family to put together an even-handed portrait.
Chris Hicks, Total Film
A straight-line journey through the good doctor's loopy myth and madness, but one that doesn't push far enough into uncharted territory. Fine as a primer, but Gibney leans more towards admiration than examination.
Christopher Tookey, Daily Mail [UK]
The film is content to laugh affectionately at Thompson's bad boy exploits, giggle at the impatience of a man who went hunting boar with a sub machine-gun.

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Featured Audience Ratings

Gordon A

Well made and thorough account of Thmpson's bizarre life, if a little enthrall to the myth and very sympathetic to his vast shortcomings.
Stella D

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.… More
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 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
Michael G

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… More
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 archival 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...
Alice S

A little patchy and cliche but HST (Johnny Depp too) is pretty cool. And props for the picture of Papa Hemingway!
Walter M

"Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson" is a lively and insightful documentary about the late great journalist who exploded the myth of objectivity. As Ed Hamell pointed out elsewhere, he injected a bit of rock and roll into journalism and it was never the… More
"Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson" is a lively and insightful documentary about the late great journalist who exploded the myth of objectivity. As Ed Hamell pointed out elsewhere, he injected a bit of rock and roll into journalism and it was never the same since. That just shows you how much Thompson is missed in this day and age with history threatening to repeat with a well-meaning President again on the verge of losing his beloved social programs in favor of an unwinnable war that he has inherited. Considering how much I have read by and and about Thompson, I was surprised how much I learned here, as the documentary focuses on the time from his growing up in Louisville to about the mid-1970's when his popularity was starting to wane, as testified to by friends, colleagues, allies, and one enemy.(Look, I know I should think of Pat Buchanan as Satan but I respect him for showing up here.) My main point of contention is the documentary dismissing Thompson's later life out of hand(I think it's true that he did not expect to live as long as he did) but at least his memorial service/viking funeral is shown. I would like to counter that by saying that it was a period of time when he was still writing. Otherwise, it is quite possible that he was having a lot of fun and enjoying himself on the farm.(Thompson always did look awkward in interviews.) If an artist does not want to make art anymore, then that's up to them. Nothing we can do about it.(And I'm a huge Kate Bush fan by the way.) At the same time, Rolling Stone has much more to be ashamed of, turning from being an underground magazine into a corporate celebrity music magazine. And I am sure that has nothing to do with them not using drugs anymore...
Ed Fucking H

I watched this to pump myself up for the Rum Diaries movie coming out this year that will see Johnny Depp Playing Hunter S Thompson again (not to be directed by Terry Gilliam unfortunantly but my hopes are still high.) Really well done portrait of one of the most important… More
I watched this to pump myself up for the Rum Diaries movie coming out this year that will see Johnny Depp Playing Hunter S Thompson again (not to be directed by Terry Gilliam unfortunantly but my hopes are still high.) Really well done portrait of one of the most important anti-establishment figures throughout the 60's and 70's. Didn't spend much time on his early life or career which I would have liked to see more of, but instead took the approach of examining the highlights of his career. An enjoyable watch anyways albeit one that was lacking in new information on the man. Oh well, a must see for those unfamiliar with Hunter S. Thompson.
Audrey L

What an intriguing nutcase...I am frightfully impressed with this man of mystery and the voice of a pisssed off generation. Charasmatic and self destructive while amassing an extarordinary following,Hunter S. Thompson was a fascinating man who did it his way right up to the end. Great… More
What an intriguing nutcase...I am frightfully impressed with this man of mystery and the voice of a pisssed off generation. Charasmatic and self destructive while amassing an extarordinary following,Hunter S. Thompson was a fascinating man who did it his way right up to the end. Great film footage of the time period and an excellent soundtrack.
Leanna E

Interesting character study, but Thompson's outlook on life has always left me feeling very disheartened. I've always viewed him as a tormented genius, and felt that I should be a big fan of his, but instead, every time I see a documentary on him, or a movie spawned from… More
Interesting character study, but Thompson's outlook on life has always left me feeling very disheartened. I've always viewed him as a tormented genius, and felt that I should be a big fan of his, but instead, every time I see a documentary on him, or a movie spawned from one of his books, the whole thing leaves me feeling cold. He's a character of such contradiction, that I never quite know what to expect of him. In parts of this documentary, I found him completely witty and charming - highly intelligent, and so hilarious at times. And then, at other points, I just didn't get him at all. A lot of people see Hunter S. Thompson as a romantic hero and a crusader. I, on the other hand, cannot find romance in suicide, and don't see it as a courageous act by him. If you're a fan of his, you will enjoy this documentary. If, on the other hand, you're like me, totally undecided on the man, this might be a bit hit and miss for you.
ken j

Gonzo is another in a long line of stuff out about journalist Hunter S Thompson this one goes from birth and then threw each of his most famous works Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail and his book on the Hells Angels also included are peices he… More
Gonzo is another in a long line of stuff out about journalist Hunter S Thompson this one goes from birth and then threw each of his most famous works Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail and his book on the Hells Angels also included are peices he did for Rolling Stone and told by the people that knew him best close friends and his wives and son this is one of the best documentaries out on the subject of Hunter S Thompson and should be seen by anyone that liked the man and his work
Wu C

Decent look into the life and work of HST. It drags a little when he follows politics, but still worth a look if you're a fan.
rocko p

I was very excited to see a poster for an upcoming documentary about the life and times of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson (where and when he gets his doctorate i don't know, maybe i slept through that) After I found out my movie started later than scheduled i sat infront of the poster… More
I was very excited to see a poster for an upcoming documentary about the life and times of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson (where and when he gets his doctorate i don't know, maybe i slept through that) After I found out my movie started later than scheduled i sat infront of the poster staring at it--mostly because Ralph Steadman draws pictures in a way where you never have to touch a hallucinogen to really feel like you're in another state of being. The movie was so entertaining that i wanna go back and see it again. The film covers all the historic Hunter moments including his brief stint covering the ruthless world of the Hells Angels... covering the 72' presidential campaign,his failed marriages,crazy antics. Not a boring documentary i garauntee you. Well only if you've seen Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas or Where the Buffalo Roam, then go right ahead and see it. But that's just it the only way you'll be even interested in seeing this doc is if you've actually heard of the man.
Leo L

Brilliant!