England’s King Charles II wanted John Wilmot to be his Shakespeare, a man of letters who would laud his liberal reign after the end of Oliver Cromwell’s puritanical rule. The Libertine, a murky period drama starring Johnny Depp as Wilmot and John Malkovich as the British monarch, emerges as a disturbing illustration of that old adage, “Be careful what you wish for.”    

Had Charles listened to Wilmot’s cynical prologue to this film version of Stephen Jeffreys’ stage play, he might have had second thoughts about commissioning this 17th century punk rocker to write a theatrical production in his honor. Instead of praising Charles, the resulting play comes across as an exercise in excessive obscenity -- even for such a ribald time in British history -- and leads to Wilmot’s banishment. 

As portrayed by the supremely talented Depp, Wilmot seems bigger than life and obsessed with being as depraved as possible. He cheats on his lovely wife (Rosamund Pike), gambles with abandon, boozes it up every chance he gets, and boasts about not wanting anyone to like him. However, Wilmot falls hard for Elizabeth Barry (Samantha Morton), a young actress he’s tutoring as the result of a wager. Lively theater encounters between Depp and Morton are the best thing about The Libertine. The sparks fly fast and furiously here as Wilmot trains Elizabeth to be an actress extraordinaire.

Ultimately, Wilmot’s self-destructive vices get the best of him. He ends up an ugly shell of a man. Syphilitic scabs spread over his face; he covers his disfigured nose with a new silver one; and he needs two sticks to help him walk. Despite Wilmot’s infirmities, he manages to achieve redemption with a final rousing defense of King Charles.

WARNING: Many Depp fans will be shocked at their idol’s appearance in this film. He’s the actor most loved by the camera today, and it's painful to see such physical beauty deteriorate right before your very eyes. Yes, I realize Depp likes to do weird roles, but this one turns him into something more horrible than weird. Even so, with Depp’s ability to get inside the character he plays, he’s still immensely watchable. His fascinating monologues (speaking directly to the camera) at the beginning and end of the film are so well done that critic Peter Travers declared they should be put in a time capsule. 

Not so well done are the film’s stagy dialogue and dreary cinematography. Shakespeare need not worry about  competition from the lines spoken in The Libertine. And, although I appreciate attempts to bring visual artistry to any movie, I refuse to accept scenes that obscure what’s happening as art. This movie hides too much behind that type of camera shot. It also presents a grimy, grainy London lacking in photographic appeal. For a more colorful depiction of England during this historic period of sensual excess, check out Restoration, a much richer cinematic experience.

(Released by The Weinstein Company and rated “R” for strong sexuality including dialogue, violence and language.)