REVIEW: ‘Gonzo Girl’ Is A Careful Character Study About Main Characters

Gonzo Girl, the directorial debut for actress Patricia Arquette, is a film adaptation of the book of the same name by Cheryl Della Pietra, adapted for the screen by Jessica Caldwell and Rebecca Thomas. The movie follows Alley Russo (Camila Morrone) as she’s recruited to be an assistant for the eccentric Walker Reade (Willem Dafoe), the father of gonzo journalism. His main assistant, Claudia (Patricia Arquette), gives Alley the impossible task of helping Walker complete his latest novel, despite his rampant drug abuse, spiraling mental health, and abrasive personality.

Gonzo Girl and the original book are based on author Cheryl Della Pietra’s experience in the early 90s working for Walker Reade’s real-life inspiration, Hunter S. Thompson, the true father of gonzo journalism. The movie is more of a character study for Alley and Walker than a gonzo experience itself. Most of the high-octane, “say yes to everything” nature of their experience is limited to constant drug abuse and the occasional sexual encounter. Nonetheless, it is an interesting character study.

Willem Dafoe is such an obvious pick for a character like Walker Reade. He is an off-the-walls archetype of an actor who can turn serious and sentimental on a dime. Gonzo Girl runs the risk of falling victim to Dafoe’s oversaturation as similarly charged characters in recent years. Yet, his performance stands out because it’s one of his most human. Perhaps literally, but also figuratively, as Reade is a fully developed emotional being with clear struggles and motives that are revealed in a fascinating way throughout the film.

Gonzo Girl is more of a careful character study than a gonzo experience would imply.

Equally fascinating is the way Alley is positioned throughout the film. Alley is the main character of Gonzo Girl and is positioned as the story’s focal point. The movie starts and ends with her; she narrates it, and shots rarely exclude her. Yet, by her own eventual admission, she is not the most interesting character in the story. Alley’s struggle during her months with Reade is about more than just keeping up with his ego and getting his words on paper. It’s about Alley reconciling her place in a universe that revolves around Walker.

These are the moments where Gonzo Girl (2023) is at its most titillating. There are plenty of stories about main characters, and there are plenty about “everyday people.” There aren’t many stories about people who want to be the main character having to come to terms with the fact that they never will be. Certainly, not many depict this point so finely. Alley has to endure plenty of abuse and self-flagellation along the way, through scenes that start to blend together with repetitiveness after a while. But she arrives at a very satisfying conclusion.

Technically, the movie is fine. It leaves a bit to be desired—you wish that a movie about somebody who is famous for making the strangest bedfellows and enemies to capture stories about some of America’s most fascinating subcultures would spend more time showing those bedfellows and enemies. Granted, this story takes place during the nadir of Walker’s life, but there aren’t many side characters. There are plenty of parties, but the attendees are faceless and high—not fascinating. And when characters get high, some cheap visual effects make it abundantly clear.

Gonzo Girl encourages you to judge Walker Reade for yourself.

The narrow world Gonzo Girl takes place in at Walker’s ranch prevents the movie from reaching the exciting levels it needs to be a stronger film, but it also helps make the world Alley (and Walker) are navigating more tense and quite claustrophobic. With nobody to turn to for support when things get worse, Alley is forced to face hard truths about her job, her relationship with Walker, and her place in the world as a writer. Even Walker is eventually forced to do some self-reflection, too.

The movie smartly never villainizes Walker, despite some cruel things he does to Alley and others. It wants the audience to figure the man out for themselves, the same way Alley does. With Claudia as somewhat of a foil already too deep into Walker’s business to ever see beyond his worst qualities, the invitation to judge Walker for yourself is much more impactful.

Gonzo Girl is more of a careful character study than a bombastic example of the gonzo journalism it takes its name from, but the study is effective nonetheless.

Gonzo Girl screens at the Tribeca Film Festival June 12th.