Last night I sat down to watch The Road, featuring Robert Duvall, Guy Pearce and Viggo Mortenson's buttocks (two scenes! WITH cellulite!) in a special "For the love of fuck, PLEASE give us an oscar for this!" performance.
It is the story of a young child being helped along as he makes his difficult way through puberty against the backdrop of southern rural America, in the early 1960s... Uhm, wait. Actually, no it isn't.
This film is based on the Cormac McCarthy book of the same name, a tale set in a post-nuclear (?) future in which the driving theme is about a father's love for his child and the loss of humanity. It was recommended to me last year by a friend and promptly devoured in the space of three days. As I was tearing into it, I was both impressed at the economical and bleak style of writing yet there were a few elements that I found irritating.
For one thing, the dialogue in the book is horrendous. I'm certain that a pair of neanderthals clapping rocks together would have offered more insight and exposition than the characters in the novel did.
Another issue I had, was the ending. It wasn't what I expected. It was open-ended, and ultimately a disappointment. Why? Because the damned kid appeared ungrateful for the sacrifices his father had made for him.
The ending that McCarthy wrote, (spoilerz!) made an implication that the child was to be the saviour of mankind, he carried the "fire" within his heart. Yet as the book came to an end - he treats his father's death with the equivalent of a shoulder shrug. This was in conflict with the way the narrative unfolded in which the boy was given every possible luxury and treated like the pubescent second coming of Christ.
Come on. You don't just say "oh well, dad's dead" and then latch onto this other family who happens to be wandering by afterwards. It made me lose all empathy for this kid, which I suppose may have been lazy writing. (oh noes, my publishing deadline is nearing!)
(/spoiler) So I didn't come into this film with any high expectations other than wanting to see a reasonable faithfulness towards the source material. Surprisingly, the director made it work out fairly well. The colour palette effectively conveyed a gloomy, post-nuclear fallout vibe and the score by Nick Cave of all people - was subtle and whimsical, very much appropriate.
Yet, where the film fails, is in the deviations it makes. There are at least a half a dozen flashbacks involving Viggio's wife (as played by Charlize Theron) and while it is always a joy (in most men's pants) to see Charlize prance about, it doesn't work for this film.
The idea of the novel (which didn't have any of these flashbacks, or as many), is to draw the reader into a bleak, unforgiving post-apocalyptic world. However, the director decided to break up any perceived monotony by throwing in these brightly-shot vignettes to offset the doom and gloominess.
Big mistake.
The thing is, we are SUPPOSED to experience discomfort which is what I thought the novel excelled at doing. The cinematic flashbacks, in a way, diminished the intensity of hopelessness which is prevalent throughout and kills the tone. Except for that one flashback where Viggio ravages his wife's naughty bits at the opera (that scene can stay).
But, the film version of The Road - as well crafted, shot, acted etc, just doesn't hit the mark. But it didn't fall apart at the seams either. It's a cinematic experience where you can blow off a couple of hours and be entertained. What more would you want from a rental anyways, right? So it delivered on that front.
Yet as a legacy that shall endure, or even as a contender of any kind of award (other than cinematography), The Road ain't all that. There are some scenes worth watching that I continue to be impressed by, the coke can ("it's a treat for you") and the part where they leave a robber naked in the road to die, as he whimpers with strands of snot dripping off his face. It's a powerfully emotional moment and it left quite an impression. Yet, those type of scenes are few and far in-between.
I suppose much of the blame falls on McCarthy as well. I don't think I remember reading about irradiated mutants aimlessly wandering around carrying giant clubs with nails poking out of them raping anything that moved. I feel that the story could have been tweaked out a bit more and given a little extra oomph.
So that's that. My out of 11 ranking (just 'cause I'm boss like that), would put the Road at a..
Hmm.. Let's say, 7.45 / 11. Making it a bit better than average, yet without approaching the "omg I want to watch it again!" level.
Also, the asscheeks killed part of the score. I'm sorry, but when you got a guy romping about in the nude and the kid keeps his clothes on (to the detriment of pedobears the world over) - it just smacks of shoehorning in a gratuitous spectacle. I'm looking at you, Eastern Promises. *shakes fist*
In other news. I still love Lauren and I'm back to being a cynical asshole.
As you were.
