— by SEAN GERSKI —
I have never read Cormac McCarthy’s novel “The Road,” but I know it’s bleak. In fact, that’s all I know about it.
However, since they made a movie based on the book, I decided to look up the movie’s description to get a better feel for what it’s about … and it’s definitely bleak.
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A father and his son walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind and water.
It is cold enough to crack stones, and, when the snow falls it is gray.
The sky is dark. Their destination is the warmer south, although they don’t know what, if anything, awaits them there.
They have nothing: just a pistol to defend themselves against the lawless cannibalistic bands that stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a rusting shopping cart of scavenged food — and each other.
To be honest, it’s not the kind of book I enjoy reading and despite the noteworthy cast — including Viggo Mortensen, Robert Duvall, Guy Pearce and Charlize Theron — it’s not the kind of movie I enjoy watching. But it was an extremely popular book and very likely will be just as popular in movie form.
Directed by John Hillcoat and co-starring Kodi Smit-McPhee as Mortensen’s son, the movie has endured its own rough road toward being released. Originally, “The Road” was scheduled to be released last November. It then was pushed back a month to December 2008. It was pushed back once again — to October 16 of this year — before finally settling on Nov. 25 of this year. (Well, that’s the plan for now, at least.)
Despite the moving schedule, advance word on the movie has been very good. It currently has a 93% “Fresh” rating at Rotten Tomatoes and there is Oscar talk for the principals. So it might just all work out in the end.
In the meantime, while you wait for the movie to arrive, take a look at these five clips from “The Road”:
And click here for three more clips from “The Road.”
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Don’t feel bad. I haven’t read it either. But those clips made me feel colder than I already did. 🙁
Aye, sounds horribly depressing. Probably very good however.
That does sound bleak …
Bleak is the perfect word for this.
Believe it or not, the book is a great read. Entertaining isn’t the word, but well worth your time.
I just bought the book I’m looking forward to reading it. I think the movie looks good.
That movie should have been better than it was.