Review of The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996) by Clay B — 08 Aug 2010

Yes, I am giving this four stars. No, I do not particularly care for what Mr. Flynt does. Let me start by saying that I watched this in the film studies class I'm taking. My professor admits that Mr. Flynt is one of her heroes and that she voted for him in the California gubernatorial recall election in 2003. I thought she was nuts. I don't anymore.

For the same reason that Flynt's attorney, Alan Isaacman, wanted to represent Larry Flynt, principle, is why I admire him. He's an asshole. He's disrespectful. He's an egomaniac. But you know what? He stands up for his rights and for what he believes. I don't know much about Flynt beyond what the movie depicted, but I was impressed by his unwavering character and, dare I say integrity. For being in the business he is in, I was surprised at his commitment to his wife Althea (to which Courtney Love was born to play) and the love he had for her.

Of course, Flynt's legacy is primarily in the Supreme Court decision in Flynt's favor, basically saying public figures cannot file suit on the basis of emotional distress in an obviously satirical publication. That's a loose interpretation of mine, obviously. It was an important decision, however. One that is still cited today.

This is probably the finest performance I've seen from Woody Harrelson, and Ed Norton, as his attorney, was phenomenal. Despite the nature of the material, this film is not as smutty as one might think. It's definitely worth seeing if you are a believer in our 1st Amendment rights (which you should all be if you love freedom). I'm curious as to what others think of this.