Coluna Claquete – September, 28th 2012
Movie of the Week: “On the Road”
One of the most expected films of 2012 before the premiere was “On the Road” by Walter Salles – and not just for the brief topless of Kristen Stewart.The film is based on the book “On the Road” by Jack Kerouac, published in 1957, wich caused a huge impact in the world.
This premise already generates a problem for us poor film critics. How can we talk about an important work, but that belongs to past generations, because even me, at the height of my 56 years, had only done my first birthday when the book was published? Well, as said wisely my young friend Breno, “a book is a book, a film is a film.” Having said that, let’s look at the movie.
The film starts in 1947. The young Sal Paradise (Sam Riley) has the obsession of becoming a writer. Still troubled by the death of his father, he spends his days in front of the old typewriter, without creating anything, and nights out with friends also aspiring intellectuals, as Carlo Marx (Tom Sturridge).
On one of these evenings he is introduced to Dean Moriarty (Garrett Hedlund), a beautiful and seductive young man, newly arrived from the West Coast. He is accompanied by Marylou (Kristen Stewart), his 17 years old girlfriend, who dropped everything to be with Dean.
Sal is fascinated with the image of Dean. As he narrates himself, he is only attracted to crazy characters, and nobody seems to be crazier than Dean. The young drink like a sponge, make love like a rabbit, and smokes like a chimney – cigarettes and marijuana, without prejudices.
Dean returns to the West with Marylou, taking Marco together. Upon receiving the invitation to join them, Sal begins his wanderings through the roads, knowing various types, including the reserved and sweet Terry (Alice Braga), whom he has an brief affair. Sal knows the gentle and resigned Camille (Kirsten Dunst), whom Dean vows to love, while maintaining numerous affairs with other women.
Later, in New York, they decide to travel to California, crossing the United States on the legendary Route 66. Reunited once again, Sal, Dean and Marylou divide the car, marijuana, drinks, philosophical concepts, and the fascinating landscapes of the way.
Living so closely with Dean, Sal realizes himself witnessing the deconstruction of the friend’s hero image that he had created, wich revealed clearly not a rebel facing the world, but a bad boy, reckless and immature, for whom even friendship and family values represented nothing at all.
It is not possible to assess the fidelity to the book, as I have not read it, but, I realized a lack of historical context to situate those young people – and their need for rebellion. In 1947, the world was still recovering from World War II, Europe was still in ruins, and many young Americans had just returned from war zones, where the most important thing was to kill the enemy.
The United States, despite having participated with men and resources, had not been invaded, like France and Russia, or severely bombed, such as England and Germany. The society maintained its life following the same standards as always, remarkably conservative and prejudiced.
For many young people like Sal, a traditional life, job, marriage, kids, living in the suburbs, etc.., seemed to be an empty option, while the thirst for adventure and intellectual growth impelled them to something they did not know what it was.In the film, are shown scenes where young people frequented bars, enjoyed the music, and maintained friendly relations with black people, which was something unacceptable to society’s standards of that time.
That feeling of not knowing where to go, and the challenge to the customs, was beautifully captured in the screenplay by Jose Rivera.The acting of cast is impeccable, under the direction of Walter Salles, even Kristen Stewart, who tries hard to escape from her dull character from Twilight. The highlight, however, is Kirsten Dunst, who lives the suffering Camille, and Garret Hedlund, who creates a boor and seductive Dean.
A character itself is the Route 66, the highway that crosses diagonally the United States, a symbol of an era where cars were cheap and gasoline costed pennies. They are gorgeous landscapes captured by competent photography of Eric Gautier.
“On the Road” is a road movie out of the standard, not only for the book on which is base, as by the theme presented on the screen, of someone looking for his place in the world, not always by the most conventional way. If in doubt, watch it.