Open Road

One of the most persistent types of stories regularly depicted in the movies is the road trip. One of the most obvious reasons for this lies in just how commonplace and therefore identifiable such a journey can be. Most people, especially here in the States, have at some time in their lives gone on a road trip with friends or family. There is a unique sort of social dynamic that is generated capable of spanning the entire range of human emotions. In the forties the road movie hits it peak with the famous musical comedies staring Bob Hope and Bing Crosby. Since then the format has been broadened out to post apocalyptic science fiction as with the ‘Road Warrior’ movies or more recently the darkly surrealistic ‘Wristcutters: A Love Story’. The potential of this movie is achieved by creating a crucible for the characters; thrusting them into odd, unfamiliar situations far away from the comfort and security of home. It also affords a very natural way to introduce the stray odd ball character into the mix to ensure a good unpredictable twist. ‘The Open Road’ combines the road trip with another perennial favorite theme; the return of the prodigal son. The most famous telling of this story is the parable used in the Bible but reunited an adult child with an estranged parent is something that practically drive the afternoon talk shows that are so incredibly popular. This is the eternal conflict of father and son forced to re-establish their relationship as adults. The film was reportedly made on an ultra-low budget of about $10,000 and marketed mostly overseas. American audiences can now check the flick out with the DVD and Blu-ray release from Anchor Bay. It’s not a great film by any means but it does have an affable cast, solid premise and enjoyable story.

Writer director Michael Meredith has a previous outing in both capacities with an Indy drama but this is his first time attempting to blend the genre to include comedy. To be fair the movie shows the undeniable signs of a newcomer still on the cinematic learning curve but there is a lot present here that demonstrates potential just waiting to develop. For one thing Meredith appears confident enough to not try to show off to the audience. He has a natural ability to tell a story which is evident both in the construction of the screenplay and his stylistic choices as director. Carlton Garrett (Justin Timberlake) is a young man with a career in professional baseball. Unlike many boys growing up this is not a dream come true for him. Carlton would much rather do what he loves; write. The only reason his is in the sport is to fulfill the expectations of others, mostly his father Kyle Garrett (Jeff Bridges), better known to baseball fans as the legendary ‘Lonestar’ Garrett. This scenario has been played out innumerable times because of how often it rings true. Carlton and his mother, Katherine (Mary Steenburgen) have been estranged from ‘Lonestar’ for quite awhile but now Katherine is very ill and facing surgery she doesn’t want to submit to the operation until ‘Lonestar’ is there so Carlton and his girlfriend Lucy (Kate Mara) set out to bring him to Katherine’s bedside. The lamentable Carlton soon finds himself caught between the incessant inability to commit exhibited by his father and having to redefine his relation with Lucy in light of this family melodrama.

This is very much a character driven film and Meredith was fortunate enough to not only get a fantastically talented primary cast but cameos from the likes of Ted Danson, Lyle Lovett and Harry Dean Stanton. By this point no one around can play the lovable bad boy like bridges. He has that sparkle to his eyes and quirky little smile down to perfection. He also serves here as a great mentor to boy band singer to a serious actor. To this end Timberlake has been handling his career far better than most of the other pop-stars reaching out for an acting career. Many of his peers force matters with doomed to failure vanity projects that do nothing to hone their skills. Timberlake has been popping up in little independent movies ranging the gamut of genres. This has given him a chance to grow in his new profession. This is well demonstrated here with the restraint that he shows as Carlton. The performance is heartwarming without going over the top even when the scene calls for humor. Timberlake has the courage to work opposite a much more experienced actor which indicates that his craft is more important to him increasing his fame.

The film works better than most of this genre. The Blu-ray version is beautifully filmed making the most out of the landscape. Like the rest of the production the audio is underplayed extremely well; natural not showy. Give it a try.

Posted 11/17/09