Thread: The Road

I will. This thread has me a bit intrigued to see it sooner rather than later. I'll be sure to see if I can pick it up this weekend. My queue is rather crowded at the moment.

I've read "The Road Less Traveled," and the quote you mentioned is in line with the spiritual message of that book (it mirrors the opening statement!)

As to the mother... a simple plot devise to make the story about a father and son? the author is a man... maybe he was touching on the idea of strength, thinking somehow that men are stronger than women. Where in the heck he got that idea, I don't know.

This is a tough film to review. This is one of those reviews where the text of the review and the rating have to be taken together, because by themselves both would be misleading.

I can't tell if my rating would improve with another viewing, but I can tell that I'm unlikely to want to sit down again and find out. It's undeniably brilliant at times, but it's quite difficult to know how to rate such depressing success.

Anyway, hope you enjoy the review.

Oh come on man!

All that stuff aside. It's still just a mediocre flick. At best.

You make a good point.

But seriously, I said not to take the rating too seriously. It's good, but I feel like its content makes it difficult to be great. I'd be cool with any criticism, of course, but I imagine we agree than this one's a toughie to rate on a traditional scale.

I'm going to watch this one soon and chime in. The only reference point I have here is The Proposition, and I'm sure that's much-more stimulating visually. If we didn't post that in Acid Westerns, that's one. I know Tacitus loves it. I like the visuals but dislike almost everything else.

The Proposition is a great film, I already mentioned it in Acid Westerns, asking if it could be considered as one.

I liked The Road as well, but I think Hillcoat could have done a far better job.
I heard he recently directed a short promo film for a western videogame "Red Dead Redemption"

I don't think it's a bad movie because it's depressing. I think it's bad because it's a movie about eating, coughing, and walking.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZUUVV2rjoc[/youtube]

I know, I know, I probably shouldn't have said anything, until I'd made my points up in my head.

But how can you not take the rating too seriously? Isn't that, like, the essence of the review? When I read the review I felt like you just slapped the movie at the end as if you were just casually adding "oh and by the way, despite all the positive stuff I've just said, it sucks". And it really doesn't, man!

I kinda get why you hesitate to give it a good rating when it's such a depressing film. Kinda like saying "dude, I watched Schindler's List last night. Such a cool movie, I had a great time watching it". People fringe on that, which is understandable.
But I think a movie that doesn't have an impact on you at all, is a three or lower. A movie that makes you feel, care for the characters etc., deserves a good rating. And even though you don't feel good watching it, does that mean it's not a good movie?