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 hen
I first saw commercials for "The
Libertine", not only the title, but the way
Johnny Depp looked made me think of a cheesy metal
band that I secretly enjoy called Cradle of Filth,
and by the end of the film, the overall likeness
between Depp and ghoulish Cradle of Filth lead
singer Dani Filth was uncanny. If you need Google
image search to understand this reference, please
use it both before and after seeing "The
Libertine".
"The Libertine" is
the film version of the play by Stephen Jeffreys
and is directed by first timer Lawrence Dunmore.
Though written in the 21st century, the
language is inspired by Shakespearean era
Britain
. This aspect of English theatre always adds a
barrier to understanding both the subtle and
obvious points conveyed by the characters, and
while this particular adaptation has a similar
crux, the aide of rich visuals, cinema speakers
and clear cut performances help overcome it.
A libertine is defined as a
person free of moral restraints or boundaries,
also known as a rake, if you prefer the apt
comparison between someone controlled by sex, wine
and defiance to a multi-fingered yard tool. John
Wilmot (Johnny Depp) was the Earl of Rochester, an
actual 17th century historical figure
who was akin to the unwilling rock star of today,
or maybe even Johnny Depp the actor. In the
prologue, Wilmot instructs the viewer, "I
don't want you to like me", but we quickly
learn that deep inside Wilmot craves fame, praise
and adoration, and is very hard not to like.
Wilmot was born into an
aristocratic line and was meant to carry on his
father's work in the King's court. He had a
renowned gift for winning over the hearts of men
and women with his charm and intelligence, but was
more interested in writing dirty poems, attending
the theatre, the whorehouse and anywhere there was
wine. King Charles II (John Malkovich) had a
love/hate (and possibly sexual) relationship with
the irresistible troubadour, and called him back
to
London
from banishment on commission to be his
Shakespeare and write a play glorifying his reign.
Depp and Malkovich both give astounding and
committed performances, and their relationship is
ambiguously fragile from the ebb and flow of their
characters' mutual respect and disdain.
On his return to
London
, Wilmot joins back up with his motley group of
rich, young companions and relates the reason for
his banishment. This being a playfully derogatory
poem read aloud to the King about how his royal
"member" was impotent. Sexual scenarios
are used humorously as Wilmot employs a servant by
the name of "Alcock", he composes a poem
out loud while receiving oral sex, and when a
wench offers a breast to one of Wilmot's cronies,
the gentleman refutes the offer, saying, "No
thank you, I've already eaten this morning."
The height of Wilmot's Chaucer-like debauchery and
need for rebellion comes in the form of his
commissioned play, which is a hilarious ode to
male genitalia and an outright slandering
Charles's reign.
Wilmot also has a serious
brooding side that counters his self-effacing
public stunts. Most of this is seen in his
relationship with actress Elizabeth Barry
(Samantha Morton), whom he tutors to greatness,
eventually falling in love with. She is depicted
as the idealized version of Wilmot, someone
extremely proud, vain and talented, but not afraid
be disliked. The dynamic in their affair shows
Wilmot at his best and also at his lowest
possession of self awareness.
Star Johnny Depp is in a
considerable amount of movies every year, and at
times it makes me think that he is just being
masturbatory by taking some average roles in
average films ("Secret Window",
"Finding Neverland", etc.) in order to
stand out and carry them on his shoulders. But
maybe his prolific career is more the sign of a
versatile artist who wants to constantly practice
his craft and is willing to star in roles that are
not as good as he is just for the challenge.
Whatever the reasons, Depp is incredible, and
without him "The Libertine" would fail
to re-coup the money spent feeding the cast.
"The Libertine" is
part dirty comedy, part tragic character study and
wholly solid piece of work that can appeal to fans
of cinematic adaptations of theatre, Johnny Depp, or
even just the general moviegoer looking for
something out of the ordinary. While it is
undeniably well cast and acted by all involved, it
is really just about Johnny Depp.
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