The People vs. Larry Flynt
Columbia Pictures | Release Date: December 25, 1996
8.4
USER SCORE
Universal acclaim based on 129 Ratings
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Positive:
116
Mixed:
12
Negative:
1
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User Reviews

User scoreBy dateMost helpful
9
PatC.Sep 12, 2005
A precise solidly crafted movie in full control of its volatile actors, story line and editing. Not quite uplifting, but still reassuring, not to mention both cerebral and provocative.
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8
EvanW.Mar 3, 2009
Flynt is, ironically, moralistic. He stands up for what he believes in and doesn't back down.
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9
HalfwelshmanMar 5, 2012
The People vs. Larry Flynt is a truly great biopic. When telling the story of such a controversial public figure, filmmakers are required to make their views of the person clear from the off, to come down definitively on one side of theThe People vs. Larry Flynt is a truly great biopic. When telling the story of such a controversial public figure, filmmakers are required to make their views of the person clear from the off, to come down definitively on one side of the argument or the other. Director Milos Forman and veteran writing duo Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski choose to present Larry Flynt as a defender of liberty, a man who bravely fought against the hypocritical American legal system to preserve what he believed in. Their argument is presented extremely convincingly, and Woody Harrelson's natural charisma and bad-boy charm make Flynt an extremely engaging, entertaining protagonist. A baby-faced Edward Norton is also extremely impressive in his second big-screen role playing Flynt's despairing lawyer Alan Isaacman, and Courtney Love is simply mesmerising as Flynt's increasingly broken-down and drug-addled wife Althea Leasure. What the film gets just right is the balance between fact and fiction - enough of the true events in Flynt's life remain to make the film credible as a biopic, but there is just enough romanticising to make the story dramatically effective and emotionally involving. If you want the facts about Larry Flynt's life and career, warts-and-all, then there are documentaries about, and both entertainment and academia-based books featuring the publisher widely available. If you're prepared to indulge a bit of artistic licence for the sake of big-screen drama, then The People vs. Larry Flynt is a very rewarding viewing experience. It has great performances, tragedy and comedy aplenty, and it bravely confronts attitudes to some of the more morally frowned-upon industries in society, making you think, and consider the validity of your own attitudes to the world. Simply put, it's a really good watch.… Expand
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10
ScarTissue1990Aug 7, 2012
This movie is truly amazing. Woody Harrelson's portrayal of Larry Flynt is so realistic and Courtney Love's portrayal of his wife is truly mesmerizing. What can't this woman do? Edward Norton's character is also amazing and realistic. A trulyThis movie is truly amazing. Woody Harrelson's portrayal of Larry Flynt is so realistic and Courtney Love's portrayal of his wife is truly mesmerizing. What can't this woman do? Edward Norton's character is also amazing and realistic. A truly amazing, funny, but yet tear jerking and gasping film. Truly one of the best movies of all time.… Expand
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9
MovieGuysSep 8, 2014
Although this movie is essentially about a sleazy porn magazine publisher, The People vs. Larry Flynt never feels sleazy itself, thanks to great direction and a script that promotes the message of civil liberties without exploiting itself.Although this movie is essentially about a sleazy porn magazine publisher, The People vs. Larry Flynt never feels sleazy itself, thanks to great direction and a script that promotes the message of civil liberties without exploiting itself. There is character development, great performances, and clear themes and messages. It may run a bit long in the middle passages, but it is still an important film about standing up for what's in the boundaries of the law, and not exactly what is popular or moral.… Expand
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10
googolendtimesApr 20, 2014
Woody Harrelson performs at the height of his acting ability as the eponymous Prince of Porn, embodying Larry Flynt with a riotous irreverence interspersed by moments of superbly nuanced vulnerability and pain, particularly in the scenesWoody Harrelson performs at the height of his acting ability as the eponymous Prince of Porn, embodying Larry Flynt with a riotous irreverence interspersed by moments of superbly nuanced vulnerability and pain, particularly in the scenes where Flynt dissolves almost completely into madness. The chemistry between Harrelson and Courtney Love (who plays Flynt's wife Althea) is fantastic; they depict, in a way that's quite bittersweet, how the two came to need one another. The acting in this film is magnificent, and makes it worth seeing, especially for Harrelson and Love. "The People vs. Larry Flynt" is highly entertaining, and provokes some interesting thought about the ideal of freedom of speech, and what it should and does protect.… Expand
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7
amheretojudgeAug 28, 2018
more innocence than you could ever hope or expect for..

The People VS. Larry Flynt The People VS. Larry Flynt is a character driven dramatic biography about a disavowed man seeking the rights of a normal citizen. Clocking at two hours, themore innocence than you could ever hope or expect for..

The People VS. Larry Flynt

The People VS. Larry Flynt is a character driven dramatic biography about a disavowed man seeking the rights of a normal citizen. Clocking at two hours, the feature is entirely busy that makes it thoroughly entertaining. And even though the "entertaining" part comes from the humorous aspect of it their also resides enough craft to work and explore in it. Forman's overt world is diplomatic and rubs the ethic with competitive arguments and debates that keeps the audience tangled in it. Unlike any other biographies, it doesn't walk on usual structure but breaks barriers unflinchingly. The primary strength of the feature is the chemistry and relationship between the lead characters especially when it starts aging on screen and grows more innocence than you could ever hope or expect for. It is short on technical aspects like sound department, costume design, cinematography and background score although it is edited aptly. The camera work is appreciative with dark and quirky theme that is palpable to the surrounding. Harrelson has never been better with a sassy vocal that is both funny and effective at the same time. Norton too is doing some of his best work on supporting him with Love whose evolution is one of the best part of the feature. The writing is gripping, adaptive, layered and metaphorical that attains a perfect balance between humor and drama. Armed with such strong script, Forman's execution exceeds the words that are projected in here on his own terms that is free from any rules. Pragmatic conversations, three dimensional characters and fragile love track at the heart of it are the high points of the feature. The People VS. Larry Flynt is a Harrelson's passion as much as it of Forman's and fortunately, the communication is crystal clear with the audience.… Expand
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7
RyanGoslingFanJun 5, 2018
Very simular movie to Forman's One Flew Over, in scheme. Larry Flynt is a symphatic and racionally thinking person, who is restricted in the way of sharing his art with the people. His art, which is the non-censored pornography. HisVery simular movie to Forman's One Flew Over, in scheme. Larry Flynt is a symphatic and racionally thinking person, who is restricted in the way of sharing his art with the people. His art, which is the non-censored pornography. His relationship with his woman is cute and heart-warming.… Expand
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8
geewahMar 30, 2021
A clever and original biopic about an eccentric man who peddles in porn yet this movie never ventures down that path.
While some may question Flynt's morals (unfairly in my opinion) one can't question him for his lack of principles.
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