Plot Summary

The Libertine portrays the turbulent life of John Wilmot (Johnny Depp), the notorious Earl of Rochester—brilliant, provocative, and relentlessly self-destructive. A poet, courtier, and libertine, Wilmot lived fast and recklessly, embracing excess with the ferocity of a Restoration-era rock star. Revered for his sharp intellect and despised for his defiance of social norms, he became both a scandal and a legend in equal measure.

Set in the morally charged and politically volatile atmosphere of 1660s London, the film captures a city intoxicated by freedom following years of Puritan repression. Wilmot makes it his personal mission to tear down every convention of his time—mocking authority, challenging morality, and celebrating desire without restraint.

As his reputation grows, so does the cost of his rebellion. Wilmot’s wit and genius earn admiration, but his unyielding pursuit of absolute freedom isolates him from love, health, and stability. His relationships, art, and body gradually erode under the weight of excess and self-sabotage.

The Libertine is an unflinching exploration of genius and decay, freedom and self-destruction. Through its raw performances and bleak romanticism, the film examines the price of living without compromise, presenting John Wilmot as both a visionary and a warning—an artist who burned brightly, briefly, and without apology.