The Road (The Movie)

Eric and I have watched three movies in the last three days: Avatar (very good but just another Hollywood production), My New Daughter (OMG, Kevin Costner, what were you thinking?), and The Road (by far, the best).

The Road is described by many critics to be a love story and I agree with that assessment. It's about a man's love for his young son in a dangerous post-apocalyptic world. There's little relief in their day-to-day life. As they travel south on foot in search of warmth, the father struggles to give his child the survival skills he will need after he dies. It is the kid, however, who manages to teach compassion and "carry the fire" in spite of their circumstances. It is he who loves a humanity he does not know but believes to exist.

The acting is superb throughout, especially the work of Kodi Smit-McPhee. The relationship between him and Viggo Mortensen is tender and touching. When he sobs or whimpers after each terrifying episode in their lives or when he pleads for his father's generosity toward others, it is a realistic child's emotion and one of great strength.

Filmed in American cities such as Pittsburgh and New Orleans, with very little set design as I understand it, some call this movie an environmental warning. I didn't read that much into the story but believe this is what a dying Earth could easily look like. Void of light and color, there are small hopeful moments in an otherwise destitute world ... a glimpse of red, the flight of a bird, and the ability to rest if only for a short while. I highly recommend The Road and plan on purchasing the book this weekend. For further discussion, go here.