Limonov, a patriot-dissident, became an angry bohemian, a sexual outlaw, and a celebrated adulte terrible in French literary circles in the 80s, railing against the prissy liberals and mincing hypocrites. Then he returned to Russia and became the leader of a violent group called the National Bolshevik party. Tactfully, nobody here points out the similarity to "national socialist party". It was as if someone had given Michel Houellebecq a machine gun.
Ben Whishaw gives a glorious performance as Limonov - funny, dour, crazy, sexy, boiling with unhappiness and apparently bipolar. The character is maybe always worried that his writing is not good enough to make him immortal, and that posing, PR, situationist outrage and political violence is his real vocation.
Inevitably, his autobiographical fictions are compared by a New York publisher to Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver (Limonov says he hasn't seen that film) but he winds up being a grizzled conflation of Ed Norton and Brad Pitt in Fight Club.
This story is from the May 20, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the May 20, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Money hacks How to get your finances ready for a new baby
Raising a child from birth to the age of 18 costs, on average, £166,000 for a couple, and £220,000 for a lone parent in 2023, according to Child Poverty Action Group's annual cost of a child report. Affordability is regularly cited by people who would like to have children as a key reason for holding off doing so.
Teachers' pensions 'I'm in despair as my debts mount'
Delays to pension pot valuations are 'causing huge distress' and costing money for divorcing couples. Rupert Jones reports
Property Homeowners face huge bills when leases expire
Those unaware of how the system works can be left stumping up thousands despite paying off a mortgage. Diane Taylor reports
Price shock Are you feeling better off now? Why US voters should, but may not, say yes
Are you feeling better off now? Why US Voters should, but may not, say yes
Retail sales growth slowed in September despite boost from technology spending
Sales growth in shops in Great Britain slowed last month as an increase in purchases of technology was tempered by the largest monthly fall in spending at supermarkets this year.
UK care home chain sold to US investment company
One of Britain's largest care home chains, Care UK, has been sold to a US property investment company, the Guardian can reveal, in a deal that comes as private providers lobby government for a greater role in the NHS.
Flatten or refashion Can new purpose be found for empty shopping centres?
In Bolton's town centre, the gap-toothed brutalist facade of Crompton Place shopping centre faces off against its majestic Victorian town hall.
Ex-spy for India charged with masterminding US murder plot
US authorities have charged a former Indian intelligence officer with allegedly masterminding a murder-for-hire plot against a prominent Sikh separatist in New York City last year.
Tomb finds at Petra are thrilling - but what do they really reveal?
For one of the most famous ancient sites on the planet, there is a surprising amount about the city of Petra - and the Nabataean people who built it - that we don't know for sure.
Enough already The Tokyo company that resigns for you
Mari was just two months into her new job when she decided she had had enough. The position at an online bank in Tokyo, found through a staffing agency, had looked like a perfect fit for the 25-year-old, a member of Japan's legions of temporary workers. But she quickly became despondent.
