Review of Easy Rider (1969) by Brandon W — 09 Dec 2010

Hollywood, especially Classic Hollywood has never been able to give the younger generation what they want. The fact of the matter is they're too concerned with money and less concerned with making a visceral connection, still are as a matter of fact, few movies from any decade can be seen as true monuments to the youth of the day. But this movie for all the very valid criticism you could level against, like its arrogance, excess and pointlessness does just that with a script that is good despite genuinely feeling like it's not trying to be, some memorable camera work by the late great Dennis Hopper and one of the greatest soundtracks of all time. For all its faults this movie blazed into the pop culture sub conscious and lit a fire that would destroy the studio system's overwhelming power or at least contribute to the fire. Plus it featured some solid performances from some of the coolest guys of the day, and an early and fantastic though far too brief turn by legend Jack Nicholson. So is this the hippie movement's overrated narcissistic love letter or is this a really an enduring and earnest gem of American Film? Let's take a look....man.

Alright so the movie centers around two long haired, cocaine dealing, biker hippies named Wyatt "Captain America" (Peter Fonda who exhibits effortless cool) and Billy (Dennis Hopper in a role if possible more humorous and frantic than in Apocalypse Now) who have just made a big deal with a client in a cool cameo by Phil Spector. They stash their pull in the gas tanks of the car and set out for Mardi Gras, to find America on a spiritual journey. Along the way they run into friendly ranchers, a hitchhiker who takes them to his commune (Luke Askew in a dreamy mystic turn) but most memorably after being arrested for parading without a permit they meet southern lawyer George Hanson (Jack Nicholson in one of my favorite performances of his because he plays a very different type of character from his comfort zone). Hanson is a typical square willing to cast aside his life for a taste of freedom on the open road and chance to share in their experience and he's constantly interesting the whole way however regrettably brief. What they find in New Orleans I won't reveal but I will say it's pretty damn mind blowing which pretty much spoils it.

I rather enjoyed this movie for all its pretension with things like girls ogling over them which I'm sure really happened but still, and lines of dialogue concerning how people were scared of them because they represented a freedom ordinary people will never know but that's the hippie movement for you. And really if you don't like the hippie movement why are you even watching this? But all the bullshit aside it's still a remarkable experience and its portrayal of the American mid-west is staggering to say the least guess you don't need a budget to show natural beauty. In many ways I suppose you can use this to show the hippie movements was America's drug fueled Romanticism period. But while I loved its ability to capture the feeling of marijuana and the scene where they take another drug which I won't mention and Hoppers' Billy is one of my favorite movie characters I still felt at best annoyed about certain elements. The ending first of all perplexed me but what bothered me the most and probably was supposed to was their nonchalance about the death of a very important, nice and immensely likeable character, not a tear is shed but I suppose that captures the mentality of a drifter, who has time to mourn when there's life to be lived? There's something to be said for that.

Still all in all it's a fun, cool and beautiful film on multiple levels if not very profound or intelligent much like weed itself and any stoner movie that doesn't fall into the fart joke comedy list is up there with Citizen Kane in my book. And while it wasn't very financially successful I would dare say this movie especially considering its mark on pop culture and place in cinema history I'd say this movie is a resounding success and shows the failure of the hippie movement as a result of the world's greed and cruelty admirably and with visceral, fiery imagery. But a caveat don't watch this if you don't like hippies or are of a redneck disposition, Jesus people I shouldn't have to tell you that stick to your guns and Bibles and leave this classic alone for christsakes.