Review of Big Sur (2013) by Serge L — 22 Dec 2015

The film is organized like a book. Jack Kerouac, now a beatnick hero after On the road, is fed up and go to California, and narrates the film. This may be based on Jack's writing but it pokes holes at the icon.

Certainly Kerouac wanted to deflate his own icon, but the film starts like Mad men to only placate Kerouac to a cardboard character on the ground. Okay, we get his sense of adventure and the sudden freedom of the time.

But we don't get his jadedness and his panic attacks. We don't understand his drive to get drunk. Was he just a spineless animal, not understanding people, nor himself? Was he an homer-sexual unknown to himself? The film itself seems to disconnect to reality and his subject, midway.

It's like a rocket to the moon that despises itself because everyone keeps cheering for it after it's back. Still two stars for some recreation of the period and the two fabulously good looking girls.

Otherwise, a spanking for subject spoilage.