I think my expectations were different-I thought it was going to be a "serious" movie, so I did think it was cheesy.
Then at some point where they started putting a little animation thing in about Hunter's heart after smoking crack, I realized it wasn't as much a serious movie as a satire based on information from the laptop. (I actually realized it much earlier, but that clinched it)
I thought there was too much BS being interjected, because nobody would have known the details of various dialog passages between people until I realized...all the meaningful dialogue appears to be based solely off of emails found on the laptop, so...if someone wanted to sue the filmmakers for slander, they wouldn't be able to, because they would have to challenge the contents of the laptop, which...they aren't going to do. (I heard a passage of dialogue I recognized verbatim from emails, and began listening more carefully and realized what they were doing. They couldn't just read the emails. That would be totally unworkable. But they worked the emails into two way dialogues in the movie between the sender and recipient)
It would open up too many obvious gaping legal holes, so it is better just to try to suppress viewing and distribution.
I loved this exchange, which showed the manipulating, drug dealing addict Hunter at his best when you see the look on his face:
BIDEN: What else?
HUNTER: Haley's sister.
BIDEN: When?
HUNTER: When I was with Haley.
BIDEN: You f***** Beau's widow and her sister at the same time?
HUNTER: (nods in affirmation)
BIDEN: Jesus Christ, Hunter! You know...you...I think your brother, his character, you dishonor his memory! Beau wouldn't make porno movies with hookers and crack pipes!
HUNTER: No.
BIDEN: He wouldn't disgrace women, G******it!
HUNTER: It should have been me that got cancer. (breaks down, but no tears)
BIDEN: Now, come on...don't say that.
HUNTER: It should have been me that got cancer. Or died in the crash with mommy.
BIDEN: Now, come on...don't say that. (gathers Hunter to his chest to comfort him, Hunter's expression changes-he should have tears running down his face, but changes to this look:
And of course, there were the references to Biden's Hair Sniffing Fetish:
...And the references to "My Word As A Biden" pledges...
Yeah. It started out slow. But for me, it picked up steam. I can see why Rolling Stone hated it!