This is an all-time favorite movie of mine. It's an hilarious story about the First Amendment told from the angle of a porn hustler who founded Hustler magazine and was targeted by all kinds of censorship and religious groups but ultimately revealed a truth that we, as Americans, must understand. We have the right to parodize public figures, and even an outspoken minister qualifies as a public figure. That Jerry Falwell was, in my opinion, a child, helped to match the fact that Larry Flynt had been attacked so much that he had gone from running a strip club where business was going down, down, down not due to Flynt's management but due to lack of revenues to calling Jerry Falwell "Jerry Fart-well" on the stand under oath. I honestly can't imagine an actor other than Woody Harrelson who could have pulled off this character. I have no idea how close he is to the real one, but this is a vibrant, rambunctious and bull-headed rock star who caused problems because he got rich, and porn pissed off a lot of people who took strong "moral" stances.

It's funny, those people. In the time they worked to get the magazine banned and Larry Flynt basically hanged and castrated for going a bit further than Playboy and other magazines, they could have had fundraisers to, I don't know, build houses for the poor or help set up rehabilitation facilities? But it's really not about 'decency' when you boil everything away. It's about the fact that we as humans and Americans have to accept that other people have opinions that may not be ours. We may think they're offensive, and those personally attacked certainly have a right to feel offended, but that's where it ends. Suing the people who made it just exposes the nerve. The best thing to do is ignore it and try to do what's right regardless. At least, that's what I would imagine a group of true Christians to do. Spread love and that stuff.

Speaking of which, Larry has a weird foray into religious porn. Yeah, you read that correctly. He gets converted which lasts until he has another major setback. This is much to the relief of Courtney Love's character. She's another who doesn't need to give another acting performance after her work in this movie. She was the only choice for her role. She and Edward Norton, Flynt's lawyer, do fantastic supporting work, but the antagonists are particularly memorable. James Cromwell sneers and describes, over a fundraising dinner and passing out copies of Hustler, the images it contains ("woman and woman engaged in sexual congress"). He's more in the background, but his character is an interesting one notwithstanding. The actor who played Jerry Falwell was another work of perfect casting. He looks just like Falwell and conveys a childlike, "but I'm a good boy!" mentality throughout. His attorney has to be commended for adding to the comedy perfectly. During the same exchange as the aforementioned "Fart-well," he and Larry get into an argument in French. His French is real, but Larry's very much so isn't and is basic at the absolute highest level. The camera then goes to the court reporter who doesn't have an idea what the hell she should be typing. This is great stuff.

I can't recommend this movie highly enough. It's very thoughtful, engaging and has some of the best movie characters I've met who will stay with me.

Much of the language taken from the oral argument before the United States Supreme Court was taken from the actual oral argument for Larry Flynt's case. The transcript and actual audio recording are available on a site called Oyez (just google Oyez and The People v. Larry Flynt and voila). It involved a bit of humor—true to the real deal—which is an exception to the general against it for great oral advocacy.

Along with Gideon's Trumpet, it therefore ranks high among the most realistic portrayals of oral argument before SCOTUS on screen.

Woody Harrelson gives another terrific performance, this time as Larry Flynt, founder of Hustler magazine, as does Courtney Love as Althea, the love of Flynt's life. How he started his magazine was interesting, but there was a lot of drug activity later on in the movie which was less interesting than Flynt's rise to power and riches. Courtney Love's excellent performance was a surprise and netted her a Golden Globe nomination.

I love practically any film that focuses on law. I am especially drawn to crazy, "OMG", and funny law movies. This movie has all three. If you haven't seen it, little warning, it has graphic (and some may even say tasteless) images but they are what makes the film. It is based on true accounts which makes it even better. Woody Harrelson does a fantastic job playing the founder of Hustler Magazine. It is a far cry from his character on Cheers haha. Edward Norton did a great job as well. It may not be for everyone but if you are a movie buff and/or law movie fan then this is one to have in your collection.

I could care less about Larry Flynt or what he does for a living, but the writers and Woody Harrelson’s astonishing performance turn Flynt into a compelling character whom you find yourself rooting for up until the end.

The acting in The People vs Larry Flint’s subperb! It’s a true story how the Hustler Magazine began & the Freedom of Sperch Amendment was upheld in court !!!
I can watch this numerous times...& I have!!!

Great film about our constitutional right to free speech! Great acting from Harrelson, Love & Norton! I luuuuv Larry Flynt as the Judge! That was brilliant!

people kept telling me how good it was and not to assume it's all T & A. They were correct. Woody is awesome as usual, Courtney Love stole the movie (Very impressed w her performance). A very good movie worthy of seeing about our rights. You need to see this. No gratuitous sex as it's not that kind of movie.