Entertainment Ave! The Movie Theater - A movie review of The People vs. Larry Flynt.

The People vs. Larry Flynt Movie Stats & Links
Starring:	Woody Harrelson, Courtney Love, Edward Norton, Brett Harrelson
MPAA Rated:	R
Released By:	Tristar Pictures
Kiddie Movie:	It's a movie about Hustler and Larry Flynt - not unless you want you're kid to be like Larry. Wait a minute, maybe you should take the kids? Well, maybe not, it's pretty much an adult storyline. Hell, it's rated R, you make the choice.
Date Movie:	If your lady can't stand the fact you subscribe to girly magazines or go to gentlemen clubs, bring her along. She might still hate them, but at least she might understand you have a right to read that "smut" or go to those "nudie bars."
Gratuitous Sex:	None, but a lot of breasts.
Gratuitous Violence:	Not really, except for a few gunshots.
Action:	No chase scenes here.
Laughs:	Lots of chuckles and grins.
Memorable Scene:	Any scene involving either the courtroom or jacuzzi, but also the one where Larry Flynt is held up in his mansion, waiting until all three networks cover his arrest before he comes out.
Memorable Quote:	Lots of lines. A couple of them go like these (all from Larry Flynt - different scenes):"A woman's vagina has as much personality as her face!", "There's nothing more certain to ruin a relationship than marriage.", "I'm moving somewhere where perverts are welcome.", and "I'm your dream client. I'm fun, I'm rich, and I'm always in trouble."
Directed By:	Milos Forman

Blah, blah, blah, yea, what about the damn movie? Well, I've got to say that this is one of the best movies I have ever seen, and I'm not really sure why. It's no action packed thriller, there are no hot babes all over the screen (although I never realized it before but Courtney Love has some really pretty eyes), I wasn't biting my nails wondering what lurked around the corner, I wasn't lying on the floor bustin' a gut from laughter, and there really wasn't any sex. What I did find was that I paid attention to the whole movie - my mind didn't wander, and I found myself saying "Shit, what a life," but I couldn't tell if it was a bad or good life, just maybe a bizarre one.

Woody Harrelson plays Larry Flynt, and whether or not true to the real Larry Flynt, he does a great job in portraying a man who first starts worrying most about money, then goes to save his First Amendment rights (and his money), and then, well, probably still loving money, but would seemingly give it all (or at least a hell of a lot of it) to save his AIDS stricken wife, Althea, played by Courtney Love. Then there is that performance by Courtney. Most critics are yelling for an Oscar. Me, I was just totally impressed by her transformation from an underage stripper to a devoted wife to being strung out on drugs and dying of AIDS.

I guess I really can't give the story away because it is sort of the story of Larry Flynt so it's basic public knowledge, but the movie kinda goes like this. It opens with a little Larry Flynt and his brother selling 'shine from a shack in Kentucky. From there you see the gleam in Larry's eye that he is destined for a life of, well, he doesn't like people messing with his shit and will do everything to protect it. Following through we see the birth of Hustler, Larry's eating dinner and finding God, his getting shot and losing God, his being paralyzed and finding drugs, his finding an operation and losing drugs, his being thrown in jail and finding depression, his getting out of jail and losing depression, his fighting for his First Amendment rights and finding the system stinks, his fighting for those same rights and finding the system doesn't stink that much, and through it all, this story shows that it is possible for a man whose life is seemingly filled with debauchery to truly love one woman and it is possible for a woman whose life is in constant turmoil to truly love one man. Wow, all of that in one movie, and it's funny at times, too.

In the end I'm still trying to figure out what kept me riveted to this movie through the two hours. Sure, there was a great supporting cast in this movie. Edward Norton does a great job portraying Alan Isaacman, Larry's lifelong attorney, Brett Harrelson is good as Jimmy Flynt, and Jerry Falwell does a fine job of portraying himself. Hmmmm. Maybe it was how Larry could always throw a little humor into any situation, maybe it was his desire to always hang just a little over the edge, or maybe it was just because everything in this movie worked together. I don't know, I just thought this was one hell of a good movie.

I can't help but hope that out there, somewhere in internet land, is somebody with the drive, determination, and sometimes seeming insanity to fight for the continuation of our First Amendment rights the way Larry did during his life. May they have as much fun as Larry Flynt seemed to have in the movie, find a woman (or man if a woman is doing the fighting, or a man if they prefer that, or well, a partner) who is truly devoted and stands by them through it all, and may they not get shot.