Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)

Watching Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is like riding in the back seat of a convertible with two strangers who won’t say where they’re going and keep missing the exit. There’s no real story. A road trip goes completely sideways, then keeps going sideways for 118 minutes, from hotel lobby to casino floor to another hotel lobby, and the chaos gets repetitive long before the end. The people making it are the reason to stay. Johnny Depp goes all in as Raoul Duke, with a bucket hat, aviator shades and a stiff, twitchy walk, like his knees are arguing with each other. Benicio del Toro is loud and unpredictable as Dr. Gonzo, and you never relax when he’s on screen. Terry Gilliam tilts every camera, bends every lens and makes the hotel carpet look like it’s plotting something. It made just $10.7 million domestic on a reported $18.5M. A 4.8 because every frame is wild and the trip never arrives anywhere. $321 says you put on a bucket hat this week and wear it exactly once.

What works: Johnny Depp’s twitchy, all-in performance and Terry Gilliam’s tilted, warped visuals are unlike anything else.

What doesn’t: There’s no story to hold onto, so two hours of the same chaos in different hotel rooms wears thin fast.

Who it’s for: Grown-up fans of Terry Gilliam’s visual style and big, strange Johnny Depp performances.