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The Rum Diary

The Rum Diary

Comedy · Drama · 2011

Tired of the noise and madness of New York and the crushing conventions of late Eisenhower-era America, itinerant journalist Paul Kemp travels to the pristine island of Puerto Rico to write for a local San Juan newspaper run by the downtrodden editor Lotterman. Adopting the rum-soaked lifestyle of the late ‘50s version of Hemingway’s 'The Lost Generation', Paul soon becomes entangled with a very attractive American woman and her fiancée, a businessman involved in shady property development deals.  It is within this world that Kemp ultimately discovers his true voice as a writer and integrity as a man.

Movie details

The Rum Diary

“One part outrage. One part justice. Three parts rum. Mix well.”

2011 Comedy · Drama 2h 0m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

5.9 / 10

Community rating

Tired of the noise and madness of New York and the crushing conventions of late Eisenhower-era America, itinerant journalist Paul Kemp travels to the pristine island of Puerto Rico to write for a local San Juan newspaper run by the downtrodden editor Lotterman. Adopting the rum-soaked lifestyle of the late ‘50s version of Hemingway’s 'The Lost Generation', Paul soon becomes entangled with a very attractive American woman and her fiancée, a businessman involved in shady property development deals.  It is within this world that Kemp ultimately discovers his true voice as a writer and integrity as a man.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over The Rum Diary?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Bruce Robinson

Written by

Bruce Robinson

Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp

Paul Kemp

Amber Heard

Amber Heard

Chenault

Aaron Eckhart

Aaron Eckhart

Sanderson

Michael Rispoli

Michael Rispoli

Sala

Giovanni Ribisi

Giovanni Ribisi

Moberg

Richard Jenkins

Richard Jenkins

Lotterman

Amaury Nolasco

Amaury Nolasco

Segurra

Court is in session

Put The Rum Diary on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Sentimental Softie

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Cool Ironist

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.