Review of Two-Lane Blacktop (1971) by Brandon M — 26 Jan 2013

1971 was quite a year for minimalist, existential road movies, because, released just months apart were Vanishing Point, and this little gem, Two-Lame Blacktop. Of course, they were also preceded by the similar Easy Rider, but still, it blows my mind how this all happened in the span of just a few years.

The plot is so bare it almost really doesn't exist. We get two guys known solely as The Driver and The Mechanic who make a living aimlessly driving from town to town across the southwest in their '55 primer gray Chevy challenging anyone they can to drag races to make a little cash for food. One day they take on GTO, a driver of the eponymous 1970 car, and challenge him to a cross country race t Washington D.C. for pink slips...and that's pretty much it. Oh yeah, and there's a girl of course.

From a technical standpoint, the film is quite a marvel. I love the sparseness of it, it's got a strong sense of style that perfectly fits the era, and it's shot, framed, and edited very well. It's also quite faithful and authentic to the culture of the automobile.

The performances are fine, given the material, and I'm curious as to why musicians James Taylor and Dennis Wilson (Driver and Mechanic, respectively), didn't take on more acting gigs. Warren Oates is also good as GTO.

All in all, this isn't a film for everyone, but it's worth watching if you can tap into its specific groove, sit back, and relax.