The People vs. Larry Flynt
I heard Siskel and Ebert talk about Fargo being their number one choice for Best Picture of the Year. And when I saw that one, I agreed completely. Now, I am having some doubts, and am trying to decide which one I like more: the smart and darkly funny Fargo, or Milos Forman's smart and darkly funny The People vs. Larry Flynt. After much considering (about two seconds worth) I have come to the conclusion that Fargo is because it has something more to it than Larry Flynt. Many people may be offended by the subject matter of Larry Flynt, but the movie isn't preaching its beliefs to us, it's telling the story of a fight between one man and his Constitutional right for freedom of speech.
However, that offensiveness may make Fargo the big winner; if, and only if, the Academy voters take offense. Watching Larry Flynt, I was disturbed by the subject matter. I'm not a fan of pornography, but director Milos Forman directs this movie with such emotion that one is not able to not care about Larry Flynt by the end of the movie. It even reminds me of 1993's Best Picture, Schindler's List, which told the story of a hero; not a perfect hero, but a man who had his flaws along with everyone else. Larry Flynt is the hero of this movie, and though he may not seem like the perfect hero, he is one nonetheless.
Larry Flynt may take a while to get started, but once it does, it takes us along for a ride of ups and downs, as we experience Flynt's life, portrayed with zeal and energy by Woody Harrelson. Harrelson will have some major competition up against him, especially with Geoffrey Rush of Shine, but for capturing someone's life so fully on screen, Harrelson should get the Oscar. He even gets the speech impediment down perfectly. But the real surprise of the movie is Courtney Love, the well-known singer-turned-actress. I was amazed at the realistic portrayal of Flynt's wife, Althea, and how Love changed from a rookie stripper to a caring wife who supported Flynt every step of the way.
The People vs. Larry Flynt is the type of movie that one must see to experience. It can't really be expressed in words, because most of the emotion that is between Larry and Althea isn't the words they say to each other, but the little things that they do for one another, from a little touch, to a sexual escapade. That's the thing that surprised me the most about Larry Flynt. In fact, it almost shocked me. The moving protrayal of love between Larry and Althea wouldn't normally have been included with the rest of the story, because most directors these days seem more fixed on big productions rather than subtlety. This is probably the biggest reason that The People vs. Larry Flynt would win the Oscar for Best Picture.
As for the main part of the story behind Larry Flynt, it's mainly about Flynt and his battles over the First Ammendment. Flynt was obsessed with sex, lust, and money, something lots of people consider morally bad. Flynt likes to win these battles, not by fighting through lawyers, but speaking his mind and ignoring the judge; besides, it's his freedom of speech that he is fighting for. In my favorite scene of the movie, Flynt shows up in court in his wheelchair wearing an Army helmet and an American flag as a diaper. It's a very funny scene, and one that I shall remember for a long time to come.
The People vs. Larry Flynt is rated R for lots of nudity and some sexual scenes involving two or more people. It also contains language and drug use, but it's not bad the way it is portrayed. Larry Flynt is more than a movie about a fight for our rights, it's a movie about a man who defeated everything that society tried to pin him down with. In possibly one of the most memorable endings to a movie in history, Larry Flynt says he regrets only one thing in his life. The next shot shows a shot of his huge house and him watching movies of his wife strip. It's a very powerful ending to a very powerful movie. And if you can't handle the subject matter that the movie glorifies, then, as stated from Larry Flynt himself, "Don't watch it."