Overview: The story of John Wilmot (Depp), a.k.a. the Earl of Rochester, a 17th century poet who famously drank and debauched his way to an early grave, only to earn posthumous critical acclaim for his life's work.

DVD Verdict: A superb Johnny Depp (Ed Wood, Once Upon a Time In Mexico) stars as John Wilmot the Earl of Rochestor. He's an unlikable man who drinks constantly and treats his wife like dirt. During a family portrait he asks if he can be in the picture with a Monkey instead of his wife. After watching a play John falls for Elizabeth Barry played by the lovely Samantha Morton (Enduring Love, In America). John sees something grand in her. He wants her to be the best actress and so she gives in and he teaches her the ways. John Malkovich (Con Air, Jennifer 8) plays King Charles II...a man with a odd looking nose. King Charles wants John to make the best play. So, John makes a very....how you say...somewhat distasteful play in the King's name. John flees for 6 months and becomes stricken with a few diseases. Syphillis and small pox I believe were a couple of them. These diseases make him look like some kind of a hideous looking vampire. King Charles sends out to find John so he can be killed and so on. Probably not for all tastes. I found the poetry rather interesting and coming from Depp they were even better. Depp gives a outstanding performance. He really digs into this one. Bravo for him. If should get an award for this performance. Morton and Malkovich provide decent support. Also starring Jack Davenport (The Talented Mr. Ripley, Pirates of the Caribbean), Tom Hollander (Gosford Park, Enigma) and a fantastic Rosamund Pike (Doom, Die Another Day). Rife with bawdy quotes from Rochester's work, the film recreates the atmosphere of the times delightfully - often by contrasting the magnificently beautiful with the horribly squalid. Directed by Laurence Dunmore, the film affords Depp the acting role of a lifetime. I doubt that any other actor could have delivered such a masterful performance, and Depp breathed life into his controversial, complex character. As a fan of Rochester, I found the film mesmerizing. DVD extras include the trailer, 10 deleted scenes, "Capturing the Libertine" - a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film, and commentary from the director. If you are interested in reading about Lord Rochester, I recommend reading, "Lord Rochester's Monkey" by Graham Greene. This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.85:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:

Commentary by director Laurence Dunmore
"Capturing the Libertine" making-of featurette
10 deleted scenes
Trailer