3. "RE: Scenery not as bleak as the book looked in my head." In response to Reply # 2 Thu May-14-09 06:07 PM by stylez dainty
Yeah, the world the book creates I felt was more about a feeling than any logical result of some calamity. I'm not sure why humans would survive when pretty much every other creature/plant has died out, but the way the book is written, it didn't matter and I accepted the world. If they try to explain too much, I worry the story will lose some of its power.
But overall, good trailer, me thinks. Not sure I want to revisit that story quite yet, but looks like it could be a good adaptation.
---- I check for: Serengeti, Zeroh, Open Mike Eagle, Jeremiah Jae, Moka Only.
10. "Seems like too much Charlize." In response to Reply # 0
I haven't read the book in a couple years, but the mom was barely in the book, right? I thought she died, or committed suicide - I can't remember, before the meat of the story. So that leads me to believe they changed some of the story...
Wish it wasn't Viggo and Charlize that were cast but I loved "The Proposition" and this book. I'll def see this and try to just get over my prejudice for the actors.
28. "RE: The Road Trailer: Early Oscar Contender" In response to Reply # 0
I haven't read the book yet but the trailer sold it pretty good for me. I'll be there when it drops.
time is money, money is time so i keep 7 o'clock in the bank and gain interest in the hour of God I'm saving to buy my freedom, God, grant me wings, I'm too fly not to fly _ Saul Williams
39. "Not bad...." In response to Reply # 0 Thu Nov-26-09 07:37 PM by biscuit
Wasn't as good as I'd hoped, but decent overall. Acting was restrained and the writing was simplistic, but compared to most of what Hollywood puts out these days, I came out satisfied.
Too bad I only got through the first chapter of the book (accidentally left it on the plane for some lucky bastard).
41. "Decent at best. Pretty good in some parts." In response to Reply # 0 Sun Dec-20-09 04:36 PM by Sponge
If I never knew that Hillcoat directed The Proposition and if I didn't know any info about who directed The Road, I would've never guessed that the same guy directed both films. The film lacks viscerality, and its portrayal of the difficulty of the characters' situation was lacking. Even the basement scene was suprisingly ineffectual for me. The process of scoping out the locations, getting to the locations was either condensed or left out of the film. What made the book an intriguing read for me was that it was both a world of bleakness and love (between father and son). The film gave the dramatization of the former short shrift. The music was really middling and Hillcoat used too much of it.
Landscape and physical environment-wise, I think Sokurov or Tarr would've knocked it out of the fuckin' park. As for viscerality and physicality, I think Cronenberg or McQueen would've done much better.
Also, at 111 minutes, the film was too short. Scenes were too condensed.
There are stuff I liked about the film. First, the few reviews I read after the TIFF screening, never mentioned Duvall or Williams if I recall correctly. Why not? I thought they were fuckin' amazing. As of now, both are making my SLA ballot with Williams taking the top spot. The cinematography was very good. And some scenes got pretty strong physical responses from me. Oh, and Mortensen has one of the greatest cinematica faces of all time.
Not a waste of money and I still wouldn't have waited to see it on DVD. Just...very underwhelming. Should've been a masterpiece.
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