The Libertine

I love British period pieces so even though The Libertine got some pretty bad reviews (and the fact that its release was delayed for a year) I still wanted to see it. The fact that the cast included Johnny Depp, Samantha Morton and John Malkovich was a great attraction.

Depp is an actor who had great range but I find many of his more recent films bland and not very risky. In this film he takes a big risk by playing John Wilmot also known as the Earl of Rochester. His monologue at the beginning of the film is superb and sets the tone. Depp gives the character his all as Rochester and what a character he is. He strays from his wife with prostitutes and drinks to his heart's content. Along the way he falls in love with Elizabeth Barry (played by the terrific Samantha Morton) who is an actress as well as a prostitute. He takes her under his wing and writes a play with her in mind. The play is filled with words that many
would think are lewd and this does not please King Charles (John Malkovich) at all. After Rochester takes his leave of London we find out that he has contracted syphilis. We watch with horror as he his condition worsens and eventually leads to his death.

As I said before, Johnny Depp is excellent as Rochester. Samantha Morton is very good as Elizabeth Barry and Rosemund Pike is also find as Rochester's wife also named Elizabeth. It is too bad that John Malkovich's part of King Charles is underwritten. I would have liked to see more from this outstanding actor. This is Lawrence Dunmore's directorial debut and it shows. There is nothing special or exciting about the way the film moves. It was too stagey for my taste (which can happen when a play moves to the screen). The makeup people did not do a very good job as Rochester looked more like a clown than a man who was sick. Stephen Jeffreys adapted his own play and the dialog is very witty and bold. But, in the end, I was left wondering what was the purpose of this film. And, a few hours after seeing, I still can't find any.