I guess you heard: If you are looking for holiday entertainment to fill you with seasonal goodness, skip The Road. The movie’s look and story are bleak. But, I must say, in context, the ending is an upswing. I am still pondering why you would want to see The Road. Maybe some insight into the basic base of what humanity is all about. The plot pretty much follows the McCarthy book, except the wife gets more flashbacks than I remember from the book. [ RT ]

Minutes after seeing The Road at the Meridian 16, downtown Seattle, Heidi and Norm were across the street at the Cheesecake Factory talking about the dark moody film.

The “At The Movies” guys on The Road.

This review sums up why I am looking forward to The Road. I just finished the book. McCarthy is still a tough read for me . . . but I found it easier to digest than No Country For Old Men.

‘The Road’: Bleak Is Beautiful

Let’s quell your fears if you had any. The trailer for John Hillcoat’s “The Road” released a few months ago, worried many, including us, not only because it contained pixelated and clipped devastation newsreel footage — nowhere to be found in the original and beloved Cormac McCarthy book — but it seemed to try and sell an entirely different film: a post-apocalyptic action/thriller the same way Miramax tried to sell their arty and meditative post-apocalyptic film, “Blindness.” And in a way it’s understandable, as studios always have to try and net the most flies. Esquire called it perhaps, “the most important film of the year,” in May and while that remains somewhat to be seen (it’s not an outlandish statement that’s for sure), the writer’s depiction and thoughts on the film were very much on-the-mark. ● More from: The Playlist

Jeffrey Wells didn’t care for “two hours of rotted, ash-covered, end-of-the-world remnants captured in ravishing desaturated color.” I have a feeling the The Road is not going to cause a lot of positive word of mouth. I am 80% done with the book. Hardly a female in the story so far. No mention of a “wife” so I am not sure how Charlize Theron’s character got in the movie.

Okay, Viggo Mortensen and the kid are very good…yes, fine. But what they bring isn’t nearly enough. ● More from: Hollywood Elsewhere

Reports from Telluride indicate some indifference to The Road. “If filmgoers were upset, they didn’t outwardly show it. Maybe they were struggling to keep their eyelids open or having trouble suppressing yawns to notice how depressing this film really is.”

The (Looonnng and Winding) Road Out of Telluride

Monday’s sneak review: The Road (Dimension Films and 2929 Productions), which was shown at the Palm immediately following a morning tribute to the film’s leading man, Viggo Mortensen.

Running time: 111 minutes.

What’s it all about? ● More from: Blogcritics Video