In 1953, a young Larry Flynt is found peddling moonshine in Kentucky. Fast forward twenty years, and he, portrayed by Woody Harrelson, along with his younger brother Jimmy (played by Brett Harrelson), operates the Hustler Go-Go club in Cincinnati. As profits dwindle, Flynt makes the bold decision to launch a newsletter featuring nude images of the club's entertainers, marking the inception of Hustler magazine. Initially, the magazine struggles for traction, but everything changes in 1975 when it publishes scandalous photos of former First Lady Jackie Kennedy Onassis, leading to skyrocketing sales.
Amid this whirlwind of success, Flynt becomes enamored with Althea Leasure, a stripper played by Courtney Love, who works at one of his establishments. With the support of Althea and Jimmy, Flynt’s financial gains soar, yet his notoriety grows as he becomes a target for anti-pornography activists. In fiery debates, he provocatively remarks: > "Murder is illegal, but if you take a picture of it you may get your name in a magazine or maybe win a Pulitzer Prize… However, sex is legal, but if you take a picture of that act, you can go to jail."
As Flynt gets embroiled in significant legal battles, he finds an unlikely ally in young attorney Alan Isaacman (played by Edward Norton). The tumultuous year 1975 brings a severe setback for Flynt when he faces a court ruling against him in Cincinnati for smut-peddling but is released shortly after due to a technicality. Around this time, Ruth Carter Stapleton, a devout Christian and sister of President Jimmy Carter, approaches Flynt, encouraging him to turn toward faith. Struck by her words, Flynt begins to let religion seep into his life and his magazine's content.
By 1978, a tragic shooting incident occurs during a court session in Georgia, leaving Flynt paralyzed from the waist down, while Isaacman survives. Crippled by despair and longing for death, Flynt shifts to Beverly Hills, where he spirals into a dark abyss of depression and substance abuse. Althea, too, becomes entrapped in addiction to pain medications.
In 1983, a turning point emerges as Flynt undergoes back surgery, leading to a new sense of vitality. He reestablishes control over Hustler, which had been managed by Althea and Jimmy in his absence. However, the courtroom drama doesn’t end there; Flynt finds himself in legal hot water again after leaking videos related to the John DeLorean case. His outrageous behavior, such as hurling an orange at a judge and wearing a flag as a diaper, earns him a stint in a psychiatric ward, where he faces the realities of his bipolar disorder diagnosis.
During these turbulent times, Flynt publishes an audacious parody featuring Jerry Falwell, a fundamentalist preacher, which triggers a lawsuit for libel. In a surprising turn, Flynt countersues for copyright infringement. As the trial unfolds in December 1984, the resulting verdict finds Flynt guilty of emotional distress, though initially, it seems bleak.
Tragedy strikes again when Althea tragically succumbs to AIDS. After discovering her lifeless body in the bathtub in 1987, Flynt turns his focus back to the legal battle with Falwell, pressing Isaacman to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court. After much persistence, Isaacman agrees, and they take the case, Hustler Magazine v. Falwell, to the highest court. In 1988, Flynt witnesses a monumental moment as the court unanimously overturns the previous verdict.
In the aftermath of this victory, however, Flynt is left alone with his memories, watching old tapes of a vibrant Althea, both haunted by the past and unsettled by the price of his battles.
