Woody Harrelson and Courtney Love steal the show in this entertaining textbook biopic on the infamous multi-millionaire publisher of pornographic magazines who fought valiantly against the religious right for the freedom of expression.
Review #2,651
Dir. Milos Forman
1996 | USA | Biography, Drama | 130 min | 2.39:1 | English
R21 (Netflix rating) for strong sexual material, nudity, language and drug use
Cast: Woody Harrelson, Courtney Love, Edward Norton
Plot: Larry Flynt is the hedonistically obnoxious, but indomitable, publisher of Hustler magazine. The film recounts his struggle to make an honest living publishing his pornographic magazine and how it changes into a battle to protect the freedom of speech for all people.
Awards: Won Golden Bear (Berlinale); Nom. for 2 Oscars – Best Director, Best Leading Actor
Distributor: Sony
Accessibility Index
Subject Matter: Slightly Mature – Pornography; Freedom of Expression
Narrative Style: Straightforward
Pace: Normal
Audience Type: Slightly Mainstream
Viewed: Netflix
Spoilers: No
Milos Forman was no stranger to biopics, having helmed Amadeus (1984), so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that The People vs. Larry Flynt would be this effortlessly-mounted and entertaining.
A surprise winner of the Golden Berlin Bear, a rarity for a Hollywood flick, this textbook biopic on Larry Flynt (played by a cheeky Woody Harrelson) might not be truly great, but it shows us what it means to fight valiantly for a cause even when the American justice system is seemingly against him.
An infamous multi-millionaire publisher of pornographic magazines, Larry’s ‘Hustler’ opened the eyes of those who chanced upon it at local stores and newsstands, but not before inciting a war against the religious right who sought to get him jailed and his magazines banned.
“We must prevent the destruction of the soul of our country.”
Larry’s young but shrewd lawyer, Alan Issacman (Edward Norton before his American History X and Fight Club roles launched him into much greater heights), argues for the freedom of expression as protected by the First Amendment, but Larry doesn’t seem to want to play the strategic legal game as straightly as possible, making a mockery of the institution with his rebellious antics.
Courtney Love, who plays Larry’s love interest and wife, steals the show with her lustful, but later, devastating performance as her character becomes hooked on drugs.
While the morality police find outrageousness in Larry’s celebration of pornography and satirical insults toward public officials, we are reminded of America’s promise of liberal values, for better or worse.
Forman’s work doesn’t quite break any ground but its message is loud and clear: no one can claim rightful thought and action if it only benefits one party.
Grade: B+
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