The last honest American or a writer hopelessly lost in his own mind? Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson explores the man behind the legendary, albeit notorious writing.

Narrated by Johnny Depp, Gonzo is an intriguing documentary focusing on the sometimes stupendous, but more often traumatic life of muckraking journalist Dr. Hunter S. Thompson. The man responsible for some of the most controversial political and literary writing in the 1970s proves that sometimes fact can be far more fascinating than fiction.

Opening with the suicide of the writer, after he had seemingly given up on society following the events of 9/11, Oscar winning documentary filmmaker Alex Gibney analyzes the life of Thompson lovingly, but not without scrutiny. While the picture spends quite a bit of time focusing on Thompson at his peak of political influence, during the 1972 election, by far the most interesting moments in the documentary are when the film focuses on Thompson’s intense drug and alcohol use.

Responsible for the mad ravings seen in Terry Gilliam’s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, the Rolling Stones writer was not a man without demons. To call his writing compellingly subversive is not an understatement. His challenging and unique viewpoints on politics certainly paved the way for future writers and television personalities.

While the production value of this documentary isn’t particularly high, the presence of Johnny Depp lends additional credibility to the picture. Rather than shrugging off the film, younger generations who may only be familiar with Thompson’s work through Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, the attraction of Depp could provide a link to making this documentary something important to see.

A tortured soul consumed by the mythos of his own legendary writing, the documentary offers up an overall disheartening theme. While Thompson’s works will exist forever, we may never see such an inspired and cutting edge political journalist the likes of Gonzo ever again.

-Joe Russo