Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson

The most notable thing about this doc: its ham-handed use of music. The story of Hunter S. Thompson's life and work should certainly be more memorable than that, and that's hardly the full assessment here. Alex Gibney retells The Doctor's tale comprehensively, to be sure. Much of what has already been told, and will be familiar to any fan who has read most of Thompson's oeuvre, and in particular any of the works of biography that came out before this work (release date 2008), but it's always nice to go through a refresher once in a while, particularly for a writer as important as the subject here. The most essential takeaway from this examination comes, perhaps, from Thompson's ex-wife Sandy, who notes that Thompson's eventual departure prevented who knows what further impact he might have made. Certainly, Thompson in his prime could have made a difference, both against W. Bush and especially in today's America. One can only imagine what he would have made of, and done to, Donald Trump. Alas, we'll never know, because by the end the Dr. was just plain burned out on being Hunter S. Thompson, both the man and the myth. At least we have this work, and his writings, to keep that flame burning.