84. The People vs. Larry Flynt

Forget the film’s First Amendment arguments, the controversial glorification of a porn distributor, and the bizarrely amorous relationship rooted at the film’s core. What Milos Forman’s battle-cry-worthy The People vs. Larry Flynt really proved to audiences was that -- given the right role -- Woody Harrelson can act.

A true hustler, People documents the rise, fall, and eventual leveling-out of global smut peddler Larry Flynt (Harrelson). A Cincinnati entrepreneur of sorts, Flynt, with his brother’s help, turned his flesh fascination into a multi-million dollar flesh franchise. He met his dream girl in Althea Leasure (Courtney Love), and established the closest thing you could imagine to a working relationship with attorney Alan Isaacman (Edward Norton). Flynt ticked off a lot of people on his way up, and they worked overtime to bring his empire down. But with each warning shot fired at Flynt’s makeshift fortress, his cause grew ever-stronger. Simultaneously, the love of his life grew weaker, consumed by her vices and the AIDS virus.

Flynt himself may be in the worst of tastes, but Forman’s approach to the edgy material and Harrelson’s portrayal are classy to a fault. As the title suggests, People gradually builds toward a monumental court case involving the Rev. Jerry Falwell and an outrageously offensive cartoon Flynt ran in the pages of Hustler. Did he have a right to print it? Flynt argued that he did, and the Supreme Court agreed.

Regardless of your stance on Flynt and his musings, one can’t argue with Forman’s brilliant casting. Love might not be stretching too far in her portrayal of a drugged-out floozie, but her realistic method is convincing. Norton was coming off a Primal Fear high and provided the necessary straight-edge to Flynt’s antics. And Flynt’s brother and business partner Jimmy is played by none other than Woody’s brother, Brett. The presence of Crispin Glover as a Flynt associate is just gravy on this already-filling five-course cinematic meal.

Free speech must remain free, no matter how disgusting the words might be at their core. Ivan Reitman’s Howard Stern biopic Private Parts tried to address the same issues, with half of the impact and twice the self-congratulations. Placing an outside party in control of the film’s destiny is People’s first and largest victory. If Forman gets one point across, it’s that no boundaries can be placed on the word “free.” (Sean O’Connell)