Review of On the Road (2012) by Graeme E — 21 Jan 2014

This is a real mess of a movie. A visually stunning mess, but a mess none the less. There's too much and not enough in this movie at the same time. There isn't really enough meat to these characters (with the exception of Dean) to make me really care about the experiences they're going through.

In a way I felt like Sal, always observing the absurdity, but never really indulging in it. That being said, there were so many scenes that involved the use of marijuana or other substances that it just became almost annoying how often it was brought up.

With all those negatives, I guess some positives should be mentioned as well. The acting here is very good, especially Garrett Hedlund who really adds the necessary charisma and charm that makes Dean such an enthralling character.

It was easy to see why so many people became enamoured with him and wanted to go wherever he went. Also, as I stated before, the film is a visual marvel. I do recommend seeing this movie for the visuals and Hedlund's performance due to how great they are, but don't expect to pull much else out of the film that's worth keeping.