The Road
Dir: John Hillcoat
2009
****
Cormac McCarthy is an awesome writer, I absolutely love his writing and so far all adaptions of his work have been faithful and accomplished. I'm still surprised that so much of his work has been adapted, let alone how unyielding the directors, screenwriters and producers have been, as his stories are hardly the stuff of Hollywood and are a challenge for any independent film maker, no matter how talented they are. I think John Hillcoat is one of very few directors who could get the tone of the film right, screenwriter Joe Penhall clearly thinking the same. It's bleak, desperate and depressing (definitely my kind of film) but when life becomes so bad and so unbearable, only then can you often see what is so wonderful about life. It's a great comment on alternative perspective and if that is of no interest to you it's also a great Father and Son movie. It's harrowing but utterly beautiful. If the awesome direction wasn't enough, Nick Cave and Warren Ellis once again provide the perfect accompanying soundtrack.