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The Libertine DVD
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Rating: - Johnny Depp as a credible actor? Who knew!
I list this movie as a 5 star review because it surprised me so much. Specifically, Johnny Depp's acting quality in this movie is far beyond that of any of his other performances so far.

As a former actor, I regularly am drawn toward movies whose actors have powerful performances. This is certainly one of them. Johnny Depp's range is just astonishing as he moves from a man of cynical egoism to humble humanitarian, all the while resisting the transformation, dying of syphilis, and dealing with the ails of alcoholism.

What is so astonishing is that Johnny incorporates these qualities, and there are many, so flawlessly, there are many moments you forget it is Johnny Depp but some unnamed talented british actor. (The accent by the way is nearly flawless as well.) These are the performances that are great, you are so drawn in by the character you forget who is playing. Johnny Depp has achieved a performance that would rival Olivier and I do not use that comparison often.

The movie opens with Depp giving this brilliant monologue that has the feel of an Iago (villain in Shakespeare's Othello) type of character. You feel he is egotistical, intelligent, and up to no good, yet still charismatic. He is a lavish womanizer, popular statesman, and both loved and hated by his peers. Depp really brings out his own awareness of his situation and plays all the right notes, perfectly hitting the difficult British wit that so many times is above an American actor's head.

As his situation degenerates, we find weakness in the seemly untouchable character; Depp embraces regret, shame, and self-destruction in only the way an alcoholic could understand it. A feeling of uniqueness and loneliness that is covered by an over-compensating facade of selfishness. It is amazing to see that when Depp compares himself to Jesus Christ, you totally understand why he thinks that way, desperately grasping for meaning in his life as grand as Jesus's.

Then as we see his last attempt to do good, which works out well in his favor, he is able to die. He no longer has the contempt of the world on his shoulders and even as he hobbles away, so badly afflicted with syphilis he can't even walk straight, he is even able to make peace with his wife in his dying breath and discover a sense of dignity he never had before.

The closing monologue, as powerful as the opening one, returns to him commenting on his own life, trying to retain his facade of disinterest, but this time we see a crack of humanity as he repeats the last line of the movie over and over in a quite desperation.

Unlike Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Ed Wood, where he played parodies of the characters he portrayed, this is the real stuff. This is acting at its finest. The fact he is not mentioned for an Academy Award for this performance makes me weep. If you enjoy watching movies to see great quality acting and believable performance, this will be at the top of your list.