Review of The Libertine (2004) by Stuart K — 05 Aug 2013

The directorial debut of music video and advert director Laurence Dunmore, who had become one of Ridley Scott's proteges at his advert company, it was this level of success that enabled him to get his own films made, and he got lucky with this adaptation of Stephen Jeffreys' play of the same name, which he adapted here for the screen.

It's got a good cast, but it's a very dark and murky film, and it'll leave you feeling unclean. It's that kind of film. During the time of Restoration in the 1660's, King Charles II (John Malkovich) was humiliated by his friend John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester (Johnny Depp), but the King calls upon Wilmot after being apart 3 months, all because the King is bored.

Back in London, Wilmot reunites with his "Merry Gang", which include George Etherege (Tom Hollander) and Charles Sackville (Johnny Vegas), where they continue their bawdy ways. The King requests that Wilmot writes a play for the French Ambassador, but Wilmot finds himself besotted with actress Elizabeth Barry (Samantha Morton), who inspires him with this play.

It's a very lurid film, but Depp relishes the part of Wilmot, who was worse than what this film allegedly portrays, but it does struggle to hold the attention for it's running time, but it has good intentions, and it shows period films don't have to be stiff upper lips and good manners.