Review of Easy Rider (1969) by Connor G — 19 Sep 2013

'Easy Rider' is one of my father's favourite movies, because although he was only a kid when it came out, I suppose it still holds a certain nostalgic value, in that it depicts the freer lifestyle he, and many other men from that era, might have envisioned for themselves before marrying and starting families.

Again, maybe not, I'm just conjecturing. But the point I'm trying to make is that the greatness of this film lies not so much in any cinematic value, or ingenious script devices, but in the poignant picture it paints about life in the 1960's.

And furthermore, in its Kerouac-inspired spirit of just hitting the road and experiencing all of life's unpredictabilities. There's nothing phony about this movie; you get the clear impression that the director, writers, and actors, were all infused into the film's pathos themselves.

The tragic ending, though completely unconventional and staining to the characters' free spirit, serves a perfect metaphor for the inevitable death of the 1960's. And, seeing as 'Easy Rider' is perhaps the most beloved film of that particular decade, the soundtrack alone makes it worth watching.