Cars and roads can take you from one place to another, which is nice.
I saw this star vehicle in the glorious EYE film institute on the north bank of the IJ river in Amsterdam. This new film museum is a true must see location for any film buff visiting the city. However if you are pondering whether to catch this cinematic rendition of Jack Kerouac’s masterpiece, the answer is simple: don’t. Just find a nice spot on EYE’s huge terrace and read the book instead. It will take you just about as much time (this is a loooong movie) and offer a much more satisfying experience.
The film never even comes close to capturing the spirit of the novel, it is neither romantic nor wild, has no sense of beat nor freedom. What the exact problem is, is beyond my scope of caring. Sometimes it’s interesting to ponder where a film misses the mark, in this case not. Perhaps it’s the casting: was “On the Road” really all about a bunch of seemingly spoiled brats just moving from place to place and trying to look moody? “Twilight” meets a 1947 Hudson?
Methinks that American cinema is in serious danger of losing it completely by bowing the the call for exclusively “beautiful people”. Exception is the lead Sam Riley. He can’t carry a film like this though. Who could?
My advice: keep driving, nothing to see here.