“The Road” (2009) — Read Along
John Hillcoat, Cormac McCarthy and a film that breaks me
After watching “All Of Us Strangers” recently I used the descriptive subtitle for my article here of:
“This film ripped my heart out and threw it upon a broken table”
and boy could I use that description for arguably John Hillcoat’s greatest directorial achievement in his stellar cinematic career to date. Based on the 2006 post-apocalyptic novel of the same name written by Cormac McCarthy (with a screenplay from Joe Penhall) I was aware of the “buzz” surrounding both the book and the film but hadn’t read any reviews or seen any trailers before I persuaded the love of my life to accompany me to the cinema in the opening week of release. Yes, even 15 years ago I sure could show a young lady a good time by taking her to see a movie about a dying world following an apocalypse! But as I detail in both my spoiler free review and my Youtube channel reading of my review linked further down this article, I wasn’t prepared for *something* to happen with roughly 6 or 7 minutes remaining of this incredible film that utterly, utterly broke me into a thousand pieces. That particularly *something* happened to me when aged just 14 years of age. I experienced the very same fleeting few seconds at the end of the film and as a result I had to remain seated way past the closing credits to compose myself and even all these years later and similarly with “Field of Dreams” and the epochal ending line of:
“Hey Dad. You wanna have a catch?”
I simply can’t watch this film any more despite my love for it.
How’s that for a recommendation!
Here follows a brief extract from my original spoiler free review, links to my fuller review and a lengthy opus article on the films directed by John Hillcoat, my Youtube and Rumble channel readings of my review, a link to my 7 volumes of “Essential Film Reviews Collection” available on Amazon as well as other promotional images for the books I have available on Amazon too before I throw it open to you dear reader as to whether you wish to enter into the ethos and spirit of my “Read Along” series of articles on favourite films of yesteryear whereby I hope you’ll watch my video reading of my review of this film and read along with me.
“The clock’s stopped at 1:17”
Based on the world renowned novel of the same name by Cormac McCarthy and with a screenplay from Joe Penhall, this was the first Hillcoat film not penned either by himself or Nick Cave. John Hillcoat also followed up one classic film with another and this audience splitting classic. Too maudlin for some, downright depressing for others, or an uplifting and heart warming tale of the human spirit? Pick your poison!
With a cast of only 16 credited roles and a further 10 uncredited roles, this near two hour film follows the journey of one man and his son across a post apocalypse United States of America. From a richly coloured beginning of an idyllic life, we are immediately transported to a monochrome, desaturated world of despair and destruction. With a melancholic narration from “Man” (Viggo Mortensen) it’s clearly established the earth is dying, and quickly, and with a continuing narration we see and hear the destruction unfold as earthquakes shake the earth, amid thunder claps and lightening strikes. Sheltering with his “Boy” (Kodi Smit-McPhee) and sleeping rough, the brightly coloured beginning has been completely taken over by a dank, dark and dirty environment. Existing only on scraps of food, both Man and Boy push a shopping trolley full of their remaining deeply personal belongings through a bleak, wide open and seemingly destroyed world.
The Director immediately deserves special praise for bringing both the book and the dying earth to the screen so magnificently. In fact, with so few characters in the film, this becomes another character in itself. De-forested woods, trees dying, vacant streets filled with destruction, it is a true marvel and an incredible feat of achievement from both John Hillcoat and his Director of Photography, Javier Aguirresarobe. Following the trek south to the coast where they hope they will find solace, escape and redemption, Man and Boy are often framed against town after town of bleak nothingness, desolate and empty spaces. There was very little if any CGI used throughout, enhancing the credit due to both Director and Director of Photography.
Throughout the film it’s also interesting to note how often a shot is used of only the hands and feet, or an extreme close up of the face, as if to reinforce the decay that surrounds them. One particular early scene encapsulates this, as with a reverse zoom shot the Director frames just the boy clutching his teddy bear, as he realises there are several pairs of feet dangling above him. Not in a gratuitous way, more matter of fact, with the Man later commenting on a similar scenario “that’s nothing you haven’t seen before”. One other interesting feature to note is again the juxtaposition between a vibrant colour (particularly red) and the grey, desaturated world they now live in. The red is often shown in a burning candle flame or raging fires and equally so when we often flashback to the past. Depending on the mood of the Man, the flashback is either in full colour (joyous mood) to grey and dark to match his present day mood. These flashbacks are often brief and while the man is sleeping/dreaming and is our main introduction to “Woman” (Charlize Theron).
With a small supporting and cameo cast “Old Man” (Robert Duvall), and “Veteran” (Guy Pearce) excellently standing out, the two central characters of Man and Boy are the film’s heartbeat. Kodi Smit-McPhee as Boy almost eclipses his veteran acting partner. It’s a still performance, deliberately and purposely so, as is the way he grows into the second and third acts to become the film’s moral centre. He was rightly lauded for his performance, which was so mature for an actor so young. His performance at times is heart breaking. Viggo Mortensen (another in my collection of favourite actors) is sublime here. He injects so much love and a burning protection for his son, of tremendous pride, yet it’s the simple touches and glances that seal the performance. With so many close ups of Mortensen in particular, he has to be on top of his game. He is, and his portrayal is simply stunning.
"John Hillcoat - Life through his Lens"
"The Essential Film Reviews Collection" Vol.7
"The Road" via my Youtube Channel
"The Road" via my Rumble Channel
So now with an appetite duly whetted dear reader you have a choice.
You can either:
(a) Read my entire review of “The Road” via the first link above
(b) Treat yourself to the first five films in the career of director John Hillcoat via the second link above.
(c) Watch either of my Youtube or Rumble channel videos (@TheBlackfordBookClub) of my reading of my own spoiler free review of the film, hence the “Read Along” moniker.
or (d) Treat yourself to any combination of the above or even (e) disappear to pastures new within our collective electrical Matrix of doom.
Oh, and (f) There’s a link above to Volume 7 of my “Essential Film Reviews Collection” packaged in my e-book and Kindle series on Amazon.
All 7 volumes are FREE to read if you have an Amazon Kindle “Unlimited” package.
Bless you for reading.
Thanks for reading. If you like the premise of this absurd idea of “Read Along”, then you might also enjoy:
"Fight Club" (1999) - Read Along
"Sideways" (2004) - Read Along
"Punch Drunk Love" (2002) - Read Along
Great article! I’ll have to give this a watch. I’ve never watched any of John Hillcoat’s films, do you have any recommendations other than The Road?