2011-02-19

The Road

The Road (John Hillcoat, 2009)

Based on the powerful book by Cormac McCarthy (his only book I've ever read) the same author who has written No Country For Old Men brilliantly adapted to the screen by the Coen Brothers.

The Road's story works on two levels primarily: the world we know is gone and civilization was completely erased. Even the names of the characters are absent. Every aspect of our common lives doesn't exist anymore. This is an unsettling story because it brings us somewhere we have to forgot everything we give importance to. Our preoccupations about job, money, and consumerism is put away.
On the second level, The Road works as a metaphor on how rightfulness should overcome wrong and that the "fire" must be kept alive by the good ones. It's represented by the father and son who will try pass good values and good will of the ancient world (the father) to the new world (the son).

Portraying the father, Viggo Mortensen continues to bring his A-game like he did in the last Cronenberg films. As for Charlize Theron with her true performance. Kodi Smith-McPhee is touching in his interpretation of the son.

With some exceptions in the story the adaptation of McCarthy's work is true to the original and it still has this philosophical strength that distinguished this post-apocalypse film from all his predecessors. The Road is a unique film that brings you places only McCarthy's universe can recall. A must see.

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