The Road

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The Road

R

2009

1h 50m

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

Sci-Fi

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

74%

Tomatometer

216 Reviews

68%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

America is a grim, gray shadow of itself after a catastrophe. A man (Viggo Mortensen) and his young son (Kodi Smit-McPhee) wander through this post-apocalyptic world, trying to keep the dream of civilization alive. They journey toward the sea, surviving as best they can on what they can scavenge, and try to avoid roving gangs of savage humans who will turn them into slaves, or worse.

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Critics Consensus

The Road's commitment to Cormac McCarthy's dark vision may prove too unyielding for some, but the film benefits from hauntingly powerful performances from Viggo Mortensen and Kodi McPhee.

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Shadow and Act Staff

Shadow and Act

09/13/2022

I still recommend The Road; just keep in mind that this is Cormac McCarthy's post-apocalyptic tale, not Richard Matheson's.

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Deborah Ross

The Spectator

08/30/2018

I cannot say how faithful this is but, having read other McCarthy books, would say the novel probably repaid your attention with its astonishing prose. This, though, puts you through the wringer, but doesn't repay you in any way.

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Ed Koch

The Atlantic

01/16/2018

It wasn't fascinating at all. The movie looked like it cost $500 to make, excluding actors' salaries, which were worth another $500.

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Don Shanahan

Every Movie Has a Lesson

Jul 28

2/5

Bleak and grim are understatements. It's hard to come away liking a movie with this little innocence or hope.

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Michael Leader

Den of Geek

05/07/2024

3/5

While The Road is not without its impressive aspects, it has not efficiently pulled taut the slack created by the loss of McCarthy’s commanding prose. And so, it is hard to avoid the sense that it needn’t have been made at all.

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

08/30/2023

4/4

Plan to see it twice—once to familiarize yourself with its unconventional, non-commercial method of storytelling, and a second time that allows you to submerge into the material, to appreciate how stunningly composed it is.

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Keith B B

@Okbullard Dec 13

I can't believe I missed this one being a huge sci-fi and Viggo Mortensen fan. This one was really good and very intense. I really admire Charlize Theron's work as well but her part was small and her character was a bummer in this one. Be prepared for a lot of struggling, hopelessness, starvation and evading the bad people. The ending was so touching. Watch it you'll enjoy it.

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Asher K

@pretoxic Dec 8

probably the worst movies i have ever watched. I can go watch Logan Paul for 2 hours but not this movie. The kid's acting was diabolical, i think the script was written wrong in reality he was the first one to die!

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Andrianna C.

@marriedtotheplot Dec 8

I watched this movie once and I can never watch it again. It was devastating and terrifying but Vigo did such an amazing job! The trauma is real with this one.

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Jack F

@MovieFan111 Dec 4

No, it's not a good movie. It's slow and boring, and depressing. Good cast though.

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Diego S

Nov 29

La película cuenta con una historia bastante buena, pese a ser medianamente tradicional, el "fin del mundo" se ve representado de una forma mucho más realista, melancólica y sobria a los que estamos acostumbrados a ver en otras películas con tramas parecidas. Cabe aclarar que esta es una película basada en un libro, pese a que no he leído el libro se suele decir que es mejor y que la película no pudo adaptar varias partes del relato original. Sus personajes y filosofía deja ver cómo puede haber gente aferrada a sus idiologías pese a estar en las peores condiciones, a la vez se deja en claro que también hay personas que ven en la locura y recurren a robar y matar para obtener solo un poco de alimento y sobrevivir. de lo mejor para mí es el concepto de la última bala que se deja claro desde el comienzo de la película; en general muchos lo ven como una salida y otros como última opción en caso de ser atrapados especialmente se transmite con el padre y el hijo. En cuanto a su final relativamente poco realista se puede aprender lo que la película intento demostrar en toda su historia, esto me parece negativo pues en vez de dar un giro inesperado o de dar un final más ingenioso nos regala un final tradicional y que nos sobre repite lo que nos dijeron durante una hora y media. Es una película sobria y con un aire oscuro que nos define la mentalidad protagónica, sus momentos son muy buenos e ingeniosos pero su final no logra dar nada innovador.

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Gregory T

@Gregory1969 Nov 28

I hated and loved every minute of this amazing and bleak movie.

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John Hillcoat

Director

Viggo Mortensen

The Man

Kodi Smit-McPhee

The Boy

Charlize Theron

Wife

Robert Duvall

Old Man

Guy Pearce

The Veteran

The Road: Official Clip - The Last Man Alive

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The Road: Official Clip - The Coast

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The Road: Official Clip - From Another World

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The Road: Official Clip - Earthquake

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The Road: Official Clip - The Thief

2:57

The Road: Official Clip - First Kill

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The Road: Official Clip - Her Final Gift

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The Road: Official Clip - God Never Spoke

2:43

The Road: Official Clip - Human Livestock

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Synopsis

America is a grim, gray shadow of itself after a catastrophe. A man (Viggo Mortensen) and his young son (Kodi Smit-McPhee) wander through this post-apocalyptic world, trying to keep the dream of civilization alive. They journey toward the sea, surviving as best they can on what they can scavenge, and try to avoid roving gangs of savage humans who will turn them into slaves, or worse.

Director: John Hillcoat
Producer: Paula Mae Schwartz, Steve Schwartz, Nick Wechsler
Screenwriter: Joe Penhall
Distributor: Weinstein Co.
Production Co: Dimension Films, Chockstone Pictures, 2929 Productions
Rating: R (Language|Disturbing Images|Some Violence)
Genre: Drama, Mystery & Thriller, Sci-Fi
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 18, 2009, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 16, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $8.1M
Runtime: 1h 50m
Sound Mix: SDDS, Dolby Digital, DTS

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