Review of The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996) by Krishna S — 01 Aug 2008

This is not Milos Forman's best work. But it is quite a good one nonetheless. The story is that of the owner of Hustler Magazine and the series of lawsuits he went through while pedaling smut and making millions ending with the showdown between him and religious icon Jimmy Falwell in the United States Supreme Court. It covers the obnoxiousness of Larry Flynt, his stints with religion and his wild lifestyle. At the heart of it lies the argument that while his actions (especially his magazine) may have been unacceptable to many, they were well within his right to free speech and the same was protected by the American Constitution.

With this movie, Milos Forman pulls off something similar to what he did in Amadeus: he makes the bad guy look good, acceptable, and even one to which others can relate. He mixes the constitutional right of free speech and cash incentives in "exercising that right" to such an extent that he almost sells it to us. As Larry Flynt puts it appropriately, if the Constitution and the Supreme Court can protect a scumbag like him, then it can protect the rest of the society as well. While such an argument may be unpalatable for many, one cannot deny that therein lies the charm of the film. It strikes an important chord with its argument for free speech and importance it enjoys. It is an ad campaign for liberal thought and in that department, it works.

Technically, the movie is good. It captures the different time periods well. Enough attention is given to detailing and the art direction and costumes are very good. The one weak point of the movie is the writing which could have been tighter. After a while, one gets tired of Larry Flynt's antics and wishes that the story would move on to the main point of the film which tends to get diluted. However, the final 20 minutes of the film are excellent and save it from being lost.

In terms of casting, Woody Harrelson is perfect as Larry Flynt. He is sick and detestable for what he does and how he does it but you can't help but be convinced that beneath that, he stands for something. He delivers a knockout performance. Edward Norton lends great support and gets his own share of the limelight in the finale. However, the real show stealer of the movie is Courtney Love. Her uninhibited and unabashed performance as Althea, Larry's bisexual and wild life partner is formidable and award worthy. She oozes sexuality and performs extremely well. The remainder of the cast is also very good. Each looks their parts and lends great support.

Overall, The People v. Larry Flynt is an important film with a powerful message. For many, it may be crass and too controversial to watch but beneath that is a strong argument for upholding an important constitutional right. If you can appreciate that, then this one is for you. I did and for that reason, I recommended this one solidly.