Review of The Libertine (2004) by Vanessa A — 27 Jan 2008

Excellently done. I won't lie and say I enjoyed this movie the first time I saw it. I viewed it once then forgot about it, entertained but not very impressed, until I accidentally ended up watching it again. How does one accidentally watch a movie? By not caring what is on the screen and inadvertently being drawn into the material.

Depp does a fine job though it does feel a bit standard for him. The murky quality of the movie helps to highlight a variety of concepts. Not only the environment of London at this time period, with its filth and rampant disease, but also the nature of the characters involved. There is a muddled logic in the behavior of John Wilmot, a man who wastes his abilities as a form of rebellion, as well as the shadowy nature of Charles II's dealings, made all the more real through the cinematography.

What really shines in The Libertine is the use of language. No casual observer will be able to fully appreciate the interactions that take place. For this reason, I'm certain the dialogue is what killed the movie's success. That and the fact that while there is a certain amount of smut put on screen, the more debaucherous is left to implication rather than action. There is a subtlety, flare, and intensity that comes across during any discourse, but a person has to be paying attention to catch much of what is going back, forth, and between.

The Libertine is not a movie for the casual viewer, although it does hold delights for any passing audience. It may take more than one pass, however, it will be worth it in the end.