Review of Easy Rider (1969) by Heressssss J — 04 Jun 2010

Easy Rider is a drama picture directed by Dennis Hopper, and stars Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, Jack Nicholson, and Karen Black.

Easy Rider is about two hippie motorcyclist's from California named Wyatt and Billy, who go on a drug induced road trip to Mardi Gras. On the long trip, Billy and Wyatt get into crazy adventures and meet some very colorful characters. Through sex, drugs, and rock and roll, they discover the people and places of the 60's.

The first time that I watched Easy Rider, I actually turned it off thinking it was extremely boring. The second time I watched it, I just thought it was all right. And after watching it a third time, I can honestly say that I loved it. First of all, the acting was just awesome, but Dennis Hopper and Jack Nicholson's performances especially impressed me. A few days ago, Dennis Hopper died, which is a real shame. Not only was Hopper an excellent actor, he was also a very underrated one, and his role as the free-minded Billy was just amazing.

Jack Nicholson's performance as the hard drinking George Hanson was fantastic as well, and his whole dialogue about "aliens living among us" was hilarious. Peter Fonda expertly plays Wyatt, "aka Captain America", the quieter and more serious character of the duo.

Now I'm not really into the whole 1960's music thing, but I gotta say that I loved the soundtrack used in Easy Rider. The rock and roll music really captures the whole era of the 1960's, and is one of the key factors in what makes this film so iconic. I think another one of the reasons I like this movie so much is because the whole counterculture era of the 60's really interests me. So if you have those same sort of interest and have not seen this film, I strongly recommend you watch it as soon as possible.

Overall, Easy Rider is a iconic piece of filmmaking that I believe deserves all the recognition that it receives. The acting is top notch, the dialogue is well written and funny, the characters are interesting, and the music is groovy. One thing that one must realize when watching Easy Rider though, is that it is not only a movie, but also a picture that represents the rebellious culture of a forgotten decade.