Film Review #3: On the Road

Walter Salles, Garrett Hedlund, Kirsten Dunst and Kristen Stewart at TIFF 2012

At this year's Toronto International Film Festival, I was able to see the North American premiere of On the Road. Directed by Walter Salles (director of The Motorcycle Diaries), the film provides the most commercial retelling of Jack Kerouac's popular cult novel. The film stars Sam Riley and Garrett Hedlund as Sal and Dean respectively. Kristen Stewart plays the promiscuous Marylou. Kirsten Dunst, Viggo Mortensen, Amy Adams, Steve Buscemi and Elizabeth Moss also make small appearances throughout the film.

The film has received a lot of criticism before it even came out. Many people believed (and likely still will after seeing the film) that it is impossible to transfer Kerouac's work onto the big screen. The novel lacks any real linear story and is told in a kind of stream of consciousness. This is Salles biggest obstacle to overcome and you can definitely feel points in the film where it is evident that he has fallen a bit short.

There are two great aspects of this film. First, the acting by Riley and Hedlund are truly magnificent. They both completely embody their characters. Riley is thoughtful and sincere and Hedlund is devastatingly charismatic. I also thought that Stewart's portrayal of Marylou was commendable. She was able to hold her own with the two strong male leads. Second, the cinematography is breathtaking. We know from The Motorcycle Diaries that Salles has a true gift for portraying landscapes and On the Road is no different. The scenery of both the American landscape as well as the hedonistic dens that the characters inhabit is delightful to watch.

However, these two things alone do not make a great film. The story definitely dragged and there just didn't seem to be enough material for everyone to work with. While the two main characters are brilliant, it seems as though everyone around them are merely there to support them.

On the Road will be in theatres on December 21, 2012 (limited release).