Puerto Rican Beaches to Dutch Attics

This weekend, "The Rum Diary" mixes up Puerto Rican parties, Johnny Depp, late nights on moonlit beaches and, as you probably guessed, a lot of alcohol. The poster (which I have included for your perusal) also throws in some outrage, a bit of justice and... well, even more alcohol. Does the movie offer some unique tastes and good times, or will viewers forget it after a crushing hangover? Based on early reviews, critic opinion seems evenly split. One part giddy joy, one part stern rebuke. Mixed well, of course.

Johnny Depp plays Paul Kemp, a writer for a New York newspaper. He has grown weary of the big city bustle and jumps at the chance to change his venue. Puerto Rico is his destination, where he adopts the easy lifestyle of the island. However, an American entrepreneur named Sanderson (Aaron Eckhart) wants to change all that. Sanderson desires to convert Puerto Rico to a capitalist paradise and vacation spot for the extremely wealthy. When Kemp in recruited to write favorably about unsavory business schemes, he is faced with a crossroads; bend to business or live in freedom.

This week, I am stretching back to 1959.

I have used up most of my alcohol knowledge in the first paragraph, so I am going to depart from that metaphor. That leaves me with "diary" (and "the," but I'm bypassing that). I could go with "Bridget Jones' Diary," "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" or "Diary of a Mad Black Woman"... but I don't want to. Instead, let's look at a movie based on a play based on a book about a diary.

This week, let's look at "The Diary of Anne Frank."

I think most people know the story of Anne Frank. Her diary has been admired for ages, due to a depth of spirit not seen in most teenagers. This young Dutch Jewish girl hid for two years, jotting down her thoughts on family and the grand topic of life. Despite their tension and crowded conditions, the Frank family still found time to celebrate Hanukkah and rejoice with each other. Of course, they would not exit the attic as free people. Instead, they were led out by Gestapo police to greater horrors.

This is not the best movie I could have picked. The subject matter alone gives the movie some clout, but "The Diary of Anne Frank" is an overly long rendition of a great play. I believe this is a difficult story to transfer to a visual medium, as it doesn't lend itself well outside of books or stage plays. However, the appreciative core of the story can still be found, so try to watch it if you can. "The Diary of Anne Frank" is not a bad film, but it cannot compare to the other mediums this story truly lives in.

The Final Stretch:
Diaries offer a unique glimpse into a singular life. Both of these films use that to communicate a message, but I don't believe film is the place for such an intimate bond. With a book or a play, the thoughts and feelings of the writer live in front of you. In a film, the screen increases the distance between viewer and writer. Diary movies are hard to plant in the ground. However, that does not mean they should not be seen or attempted. If a director can ever tap into the innate human condition of a personal journal, they will accomplish something spectacular.