Hit the Road

Released Apr 22, 2022

1 hr. 33 min.

Comedy

Drama

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for Hit the Road: Trailer 1

List

95%

98 Reviews

Tomatometer

75%

50+ Ratings

Audience Score

Panah Panahi, son and collaborator of embattled Iranian master Jafar Panahi, makes a striking feature debut with this charming, sharp-witted, and deeply moving comic drama. Hit the Road takes the tradition of the Iranian road-trip movie and adds unexpected twists and turns. It follows a family of four -- two middle-aged parents and their sons, one a taciturn adult, the other an ebullient six-year-old -- as they drive across the Iranian countryside. Over the course of the trip, they bond over memories of the past, grapple with fears of the unknown, and fuss over their sick dog. Unspoken tensions arise and the film builds emotional momentum as it slowly reveals the furtive purpose for their journey. The result is a humanist drama that offers an authentic, raw, and deeply sincere observation of an Iranian family preparing to part with one of their own.

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Critics Consensus

A beautifully acted drama with steadily cumulative force, Hit the Road uses one family's journey to make trenchant observations about society as a whole.

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Claude T

The movie gives you a look in the family dynamics of an Iranian family, but there are so many questions which are not answered that the viewer now wants to hit the road again to better understand. The youngest child is the star of the show!

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

05/16/22

Full Review

Roy J

Some random scenes and dialogues that confused me, but overall great movie and glad to see Panahi following his father's footsteps and also keeping his legacy alive.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/10/22

Full Review

Alec B

A rather astonishing work. The movie captures the intimacy of family dynamics so well and I love how the road movie clichés are simultaneously embraced and undermined.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/26/24

Full Review

Jim P

Maybe I've missed something but it's just not an enjoyable ride. The young boy, however, has the makings of a fine actor

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/25/24

Full Review

Jason R

No, I've never heard of this but not only is it our second Iranian film on the list, it's the second film made by a member of the Panahi family - the last one was very peculiar indeed, so I'm hoping for something a little more straightforward this time (it would struggle to be less straightforward!). On the face of it, we've got something pretty simple - a family taking a road trip. Dad is grumpy with a broken leg, Mum seems a bit more sensible and trying to keep everyone in line, the eldest son is very quiet and the youngest son is QUITE the handful - precocious beyond belief and he won't shut up, but he's also pretty funny. As time goes on, it becomes clear why they're on the road trip and emotions run high with everyone reacting in their own way to the situation, with the family unit still being the overriding factor. All in all, the film is a thoughtful meditation on family relationships - particularly what you'd do for your children, no matter what the cost to you. You'll always love them, even if they drive you mad or are acting quite unloveably - and you'll always want to give them advice, no matter how much they don't want it! And in that vein, the film meanders its way to a bittersweet but very satisfactory conclusion - it manages to pack a whole lot more plot in there than you initially envisage, with it being slowly released as the film progresses. It's all well acted - Hassan Madjooni and Pantea Panahiha (the parents) in particular do a great job but Amin Simiar (the elder son) and Rayan Sarlak (the younger) join them in acting as a believable family unit. There are other people in the film, but it's fair to say they don't have the chance to shine - except for the cyclist in a road race that they accidentally knock over who takes his moment in the spotlight well. The film is well written on several levels - it has believable characters, who you like and root for, even if they're not behaving at their best. They are also in a believable relationship - there's a lot here that will chime with anyone. But on top of that stable core, it also introduces some lovely song/dance routines and flights of fancy at times. It has an utterly charming scene wherein the dad (wearing a very snazzy gold sleeping bag suit!) and youngest son talk utter nonsense about how much Batman's car is worth (and it feels exactly like the sort of thing a real family would talk about anywhere in the world). And as they talk, stars appear in the grass they're lying on and then it's slowly replaced by the night sky - it's just so lovely. It also manages to have a remarkably poignant scene where one of the family is tied to a tree and screaming his head off - which is quite the achievement. It's also well filmed - a lot of it takes place in the car but it all feels well thought out. It's also got very cool scenery - there's all sorts in Iran it appears and it looks to be a beautiful country, but I suspect I won't be paying it a visit any time soon. And since it was both written and directed by Panah Panahi, he thoroughly deserves a name-check (and I enjoyed this a lot more than I enjoyed his father's film). I wouldn't say this is a "great" film, but it's thoroughly enjoyable and relatable, whilst also having plenty of content to make you think a bit deeper about things and maybe appreciate your life a bit more. I also imagine that making any film in Iran is not a trivial undertaking (it really isn't), particularly one with some political content, so credit is due to the team involving in getting this out there. Some aspects of this film are very specific to Iran, but it feels easily transferable so I wouldn't be surprised to see an English language remake at some point - although in several places I was very much reminded of Little Miss Sunshine, so there's possibly an argument this is a Farsi-language politicised version of that! Provided you don't mind subtitles, I think this is well worth watching - at the time of writing, it's available to rent in all the usual places (it's much more widely available than I was expecting) so maybe check it out.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

11/29/23

Full Review

Amanda S

Incredible movie. Sweet funny beautiful.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/24/23

Full Review

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Panah Panahi

Director

Hassan Madjooni

Dad

Pantea Panahiha

Mom

Rayan Sarlak

Little Brother

Amin Simiar

Big Brother

Panah Panahi

Screenwriter

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Hit the Road: Trailer 1

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Adam Nayman

Cinema Scope

Hit the Road works in enough familiar ways that critics can safely place it within a certain tradition. But it’s also hopefully the start of something new.

Feb 16, 2023

Full Review

Jake Wilson

The Age (Australia)

Few movie premises are more familiar than a family road trip -- and though it may not be immediately clear where the nameless characters in Panah Panahi’s Hit the Road are headed, while we’re riding along with them, it’s easy to feel at home.

Rated: 3.5/5

Sep 1, 2022

Full Review

David Sims

The Atlantic

Panahi is the son of the imprisoned filmmaker Jafar Panahi, one of Iran’s greatest living artists. He has his father’s subtle touch for interpersonal dynamics and for light tales that build to surprising hidden depths.

Aug 3, 2022

Full Review

Nuha Hassan

Film Cred

The rawness and the expressions captured in Hit the Road make the journey even more special, and when the youngest family member sticks his head through the sunroof and blissfully yells the chorus of the song, everything comes together.

Sep 4, 2023

Full Review

Kathy Fennessy

Video Librarian Magazine

In best road movie fashion, Hit the Road also serves as a travelogue as the family passes pistachio-like hills, hot springs, and babbling brooks.

Rated: 3.5/5

Jun 7, 2023

Full Review

Amber Wilkinson

Eye for Film

Panahi and his actors shift through emotions so smoothly, you barely notice them until they have immersed you.

Rated: 5/5

Apr 3, 2023

Full Review

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Synopsis

Panah Panahi, son and collaborator of embattled Iranian master Jafar Panahi, makes a striking feature debut with this charming, sharp-witted, and deeply moving comic drama. Hit the Road takes the tradition of the Iranian road-trip movie and adds unexpected twists and turns. It follows a family of four -- two middle-aged parents and their sons, one a taciturn adult, the other an ebullient six-year-old -- as they drive across the Iranian countryside. Over the course of the trip, they bond over memories of the past, grapple with fears of the unknown, and fuss over their sick dog. Unspoken tensions arise and the film builds emotional momentum as it slowly reveals the furtive purpose for their journey. The result is a humanist drama that offers an authentic, raw, and deeply sincere observation of an Iranian family preparing to part with one of their own.

Director: Panah Panahi
Screenwriter: Panah Panahi
Distributor: Kino Lorber
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: Persian
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 22, 2022, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 19, 2022
Box Office (Gross USA): $151.0K
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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