Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson presents the man behind the stilted, crazy dialogue of the ubiquitous Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and the enjoyably subjective style of writing coined "Gonzo". (Wikipedia describes gonzo journalism as a style in which the journalist includes himself in the story, adds sarcasm and exaggerated or semi-fictional elements (we bloggers are obviously eternally grateful).)

Thompson, the man himself, turns out to be a lower middle class kid who grew up in a wealthy neighborhood, and was smarted by the differences, a man who developed idealistic hopes and dreams for America (he is referred to as a patriot a couple times in the film), only to be harshly disappointed in politics and humanity in general. He turned inward and ignored his put-upon first wife, and his son, who as an adult clearly has much admiration for him, but says quietly, "It would've been nice to have him around more." Thompson is also a man guilty of extreme (albeit funny) excess, who cheated on his wife, and who ultimately, frustrated with society and a rock star image, shot himself within earshot of said family.

But apparently, he did give them plenty of warning.

If you're a fan of Thompson, you probably know that his big break was the book Hell's Angels: A Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs. Given the assignment for an article by The Nation, Thompson's almost total inception into the gang lead to several book offers, and a year in close contact with these absolutely disgusting wastes of humanity (sorry, angry opinion interfering). There is a very difficult-to-watch scene after Thompson's wife explains that a party the two of them attended turned out to involve a gang rape, something the Hell's Angels were apparently noted for. The tape recording of Thompson describing his witnessing of the gang rape through a window is enough to turn your stomach, and even though Thompson references the incident, as well as another wife-beating incident, as his reasons for ending his connection to the Angels, you can't help wondering why he didn't actually interfere at the party. His distanced, outsider reporting, despite its horror, obviously did nothing to help the actual victim. Journalist Tom Wolfe, a frequent commentator in the film, is spliced in afterwards claiming skeptically that the woman invited the Angels to "have a go at her", but no other information is offered.

Hmm.

The best parts of the movie are Thompson's hilarious 1970 campaign for the sheriff of left-leaning Aspen, Colorado, (he actually shaved his head so he could refer to his conservative rival as "my long-haired opponent"), and of course, his pure-gonzo trailing of the 1972 presidential campaign (later turned into Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail '72). Thompson's invention of a drug addiction for Democratic nominee Edmund Muskie (he believed passionately in George McGovern) is also hilarious, especially when he insists in an interview that it was already a rumor going around, and then admits that he started the rumor.

Thompson's high hopes in George McGovern, and later, his admiration for Jimmy Carter, are probably what make him the most likable in the end. McGovern's campaign manager, Gary Hart, tells us that Thompson's idealism was infantile, but he only comes off as regretful and defensive. McGovern himself seems transcendent, for his sincere hatred of war, and his admiration of Thompson. Thompson's crushing disappointment at Nixon's inauguration is like his poignant quote in Aspen, "America...just a nation of two hundred million used car salesmen with all the money we need to buy guns and no qualms about killing anybody else in the world who tries to make us uncomfortable" - all too familiar for those of us outraged by our most regent presidential elections. It's enough to make you understand why, near the end, when his wife calls him selfish for not trying again to rant and rail against our current state of affairs, that, although she's quite right, Thompson just didn't have it in him anymore.

There is a twinkling of hope, however, in the end, in the madness of Thompson's elaborate funeral ceremony. The movie ultimately might leave you wondering about the dual nature of self-destructive/creative personalities, and whether or not the country is actually just going to hell in a handbasket. But then you'll probably remember the reference to him bringing a box of wigs to an interview, and switching them out calmly while answering questions. And then you'll just laugh.

Image via MeetintheLobby