The People vs. Larry Flint
Starring: Woody Harellson, Courtney Love, Edward Norton
Directed by: Milos Foreman
Rated: R

The People vs. Larry Flint is as diabolically opinionated as the real-life Mr. Flint himself . I mean that in a most positive way. Like the real Larry Flint, the film doesn't scurry around subject matter and while you may or may not dig Flint's personal rise as the notorious "smut peddler" he's become, there's no getting' around the fact that America's spirit was born from people this brave. People determined to keep their rights to be who they want to be in the forefront. I dug it.

Woody Harrelson plays Larry Flint without so much an impersonation but more of a humanization of this somewhat "sleazy" character, and he is simply incredible. Squeezing into Harrelson's spellbinding centerfold is a wildly entertaining Courtney Love as Flint's love-time love/wife, Edward Norton is a nebbish sort of attorney, and that yummy Crispin Glover shows up to subtly steal some scenes as Arlo, Flint's longtime friend and worker-bee.

Story goes…Larry Flint (Woody Harrelson) always dug porn and porn related paraphernalia. He begins his carrer in "entertainment" with a couple of strip clubs. Then he decided a great advertising hook would be a newsletter filled with his babes on parade - thusly enticing more clientele.

Playboy was already very strong and Flint wanted a piece of the pubic pie. So he very shortly upgraded his "newsletter" into a four color pictorial - using text to disguise the work as a periodical. He became a millionaire and Hustler Magazine was born.

And as quickly as his scandalous empire grew, so did Flint's enjoyment of stretching the first amendment right to freedom of speech till it was cellophane thin. Not only was he outspoken about his mission and lust for sex, but also he also decided instead of artsy -fartsy barely bare girly shots his magazine would show the whole kitten's kanoodle. Flint may be responsible for the term "beaver shot" though I am not sure…

Naturally this bare-all style caused a huge wave of controversy and Flint (a very cocky fellow) was up for it. He was a showman of Barnum and Bailey proportions - though of course kids were not his audience. No the courts of America were.

Larry and his merry gang of porn peddlers were changing the rules and not everyone was gung ho. Love him or hate him - Flint's an American original, complete with the old rags to riches story and several personal tragedies.

Director Milo Foreman makes this "based on a true story" of an eccentric (and successful) businessmen completely mesmerizing. It doesn't judge and it doesn't pretty things up while staying - for the most part - mainstream. Of course it's not a holiday family viewing choice or anything - but for film enthusiasts, The People VS. Larry Flint" should be immediately procured.

Snack Recommendation: Cheese Wiz and Beer

Special Edition DVD Features:
Multiple Audio Choices
Wide Screen Presentation
Multiple Subtitles
Cast Commentary featuring:
Woody Harrelson, Courtney Love, Edward Norton
Writer Commentary featuring:
Scott Alexander & Larry Karaszewski
Larry Flint Featurette
Deleted Scenes
and much more!