Gringo: The Dangerous Life of John McAfee (2016)

So much average

Admirable film.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

Was hoping to learn something new here, but alas that was not the case. The director pretty much proves McAfee's point that journalists will run with any story so long as it has entertainment value.

I have awarded 7 stars for sheer entertainment value. Despite some questions surrounding the authenticity of this documentary's sources the bottom line for me is that this movie hooked me from the start and held my interest from beginning to end. It's a disturbing look at the life of a rich man with questionable morals acting like he's king of his adopted foreign country. Be warned, there are some disturbing scenes and topics discussed such as rape, and graphic descriptions of torture and murder. But if you can handle that I recommend this movie, I found it engrossing.

This documentary about the life of John McAfee reminded me of the movie 'The Mosquito Coast'; a maverick, libertarian American travels to central America and becomes very strange. In the case of McAfee, who developed the world's first anti-virus computer software, said "strangeness" involves bizarre sexual practices, a permanent escort of armed guards, and allegations of rape and murder. Yet McAfee returned to the U.S. and an apparent life of contemporary respectability. Nanette's Burnstein's documentary isn't perfect: I don't think much of her interview technique, and she credits a failed bid for the Liberartarian Party of America's nomination for the U.S. presidency with rather more seriousness than it deserves. But it's still a compelling story, whose ending if foreshadowed very early on when we learn of the unconventional practices among the staff of the McAfee company from it's earliest days: those interviewed remember the competition to see who could get laid on their desktops most frequently with fondness, but it seems of a piece with McAfee's later, more disturbing behaviour. Overall, it's a lesson that too much money never really does anyone good; but it's even worse if you get in the way of the person who has it.

I'm a bit hesitant when documentary filmmakers include themselves in the film their making. But in this case filmmaker Nanette Burstein straddles that line nicely, particularly when the subject of her film won't talk to her! But McAfee does..... via email. And near the end of the film when she is able to "corner" her subject, the result is interestingly captured all on camera. Her persistence in tracking down witnesses, friends and associates is admirable and the results speak for themselves. Is John McAfee crazy? a brilliant media provocateur? A computer genius? All three? I won't spoil anything, but let me just say that the interviews with the "girlfriends" was probably one of the most shocking and disgusting things I have ever heard in my life. Let's leave it at that. In conclusion, the documentary held my interest and was well-produced.