So, um wow. This movie was outrageously gripping, outrageously intense. Truly hit me in the soul, whatever that means.
I first heard of this movie as a young man. I had Comcast growing up and I used to scroll over to the previews section on 'on-demand' and literally watch previews for hours at a time. It was so entertaining. I was a serious movie nerd. I remember seeing this preview on there as a kid and have NEVER watched it until recently. Nuts.
It's rather funny that I didn't see 'The Road' until now. I'm sure I would have enjoyed it as a teen, but as a single father this movie made me want to climb mountains for my son, defeat non-existent enemies for my son. I want to give that boy the world I swear. I mean, any parent, and any person whatsoever can enjoy this movie, but just personally this past decade of my life has been nuts and seeing how this father took care of his son until he could literally not move made me want to just run through a dang brick wall. Makes me think of my own dad, and the fact that he died before I could even make a real memory with him. Ugh. Certain stories bring on different feelings and meanings as you age though, and I'm unsure this movie would have hit me as hard as it did as a teenager. Who knows though, really.
'The Road' was well acted by everyone involved. The tone, the colors, the images were all on point. The movie is simple, but so so so complex at the same time.
As I get older it's definitely not always easy to trust people and this aspect of life is definitely played with in 'The Road'. There are certainly EXTREMELY nasty people all around in this film but it is interesting how the father trusts absolutely nobody and the son at least tries to care for people for a lack of a better word. I can't exactly find the lesson in this, I suppose that is the point? The point just might be to like, not completely distrust everyone? I dunno.
One of my favorite parts of the movie is when they found that SWEET bunker and actually had a half a percent of a normal life for like two weeks or something. My gosh. I was overjoyed for both of them.
When the dad dies and the son is right by his side, I was just profoundly moved. I couldn't find the words if I tried. When that boy meets that stranger and they talk, I had no idea what to expect. I was so proud of the boy though, for following his dad's orders EXACTLY.
When he asked the man 'do you have the fire?' and points at his chest I definitely shed a tear man. Like, that scene might be one of the greatest scenes in any movie I've ever watched. That boy's loyalty made me want to scream with joy. I'm so glad that that guy was a good guy and that he had a family. Perhaps that family will be the boy's new family.
I just realized that the kid the boy saw at his dad's hometown was legit!! I couldn't really tell if the boy was actually seeing things or not. WHAT!! I am shocked by this even though it's really not all that shocking. Wow.
It seems they didn't have to leave that bunker since it seems that they left because the dad was worried after hearing a person/dog. The presence was in fact the people the boy meets at the end. I suppose the dad's fear of other people in this wasteland ultimately led to a lot of suffering/struggling and the man's own death, but also the son did at least find some sort of a home and safety. It was a grim, kind of rough way to go about it, but ultimately this father did his job. He did indeed give his son the skills to survive even if it was sort of clumsy, for a lack of a better word. I can't blame the dad though, he was doing his best in an absolutely unprecedented situation. Earlier in the movie, the dad does make an intriguing point though by pointing out how the son only knows this chaotic life. Actually the dad says 'you probably think I come from another world'. Perhaps this gave the son a unique perspective while still having the optimism of a child. Very interesting. The boy was living in an utterly terrifying world, but maybe this gave him the ability to adapt at a level the dad couldn't. Hard to say.
I don't even know what to say. Maybe I'm reading into it too much. When my son is old enough I'd love to show him this. Crazy man. This movie is going to live in my head rent free for awhile.
9.35/10
