I consider On the Road to be one of the greatest books ever written so I guess it's not surprising when I say that overall the film let me down. There were some parts during which I felt it did the text justice. The very end scene with Sal and Dean standing together for the last time. The underlining sadness of Sal, and Dean's, and Marylou's arrival to San Francisco. Tom Sturridge's portrayal of Carlo Marx, especially his relationship with Dean and of course Gerett Hedlund's madness as he played Dean Moriarty, which was possibly the best part of the entire production.
However there were also a lot of moments where I felt the director did not get it quite right. I was disappointed with how little there was of Sal's story on the road before he travelled with Dean and Marylou. I understood they were probably going to leave out most of the beginning of his journey but I really wanted to see the scenes with Terry longer and more developed. When I read to book there was something about that time he spent with her that was both tragic and beautiful at the same time, yet none of that made it into the film. Old Bull Lee's character felt grossly undeveloped. The man had this incredible presence in the book and it just felt to me as if the director did not consider him important at all. This is not to say that Viggo Mortensen did not play him well, he did. My issue here is more with the script writing and direction.
However, the one thing that I missed the most from the film was the underlining presence of the whole book, the feeling of searching for something. It felt as if the film was two-dimensional, rarely bringing out those feelings. There were some instances when it did, for example the last scenes in and following Mexico, Marylou's arrival in Frisco and Carlo's feelings about Dean, but overall the feeling was generally missing.
I consider On the Road to be a good film but it wasn't the amazing production expected. I know a lot of people interpret the book in different ways so my views on it may differ from other's, and other's views on the film. This is simply my opinion.
However there were also a lot of moments where I felt the director did not get it quite right. I was disappointed with how little there was of Sal's story on the road before he travelled with Dean and Marylou. I understood they were probably going to leave out most of the beginning of his journey but I really wanted to see the scenes with Terry longer and more developed. When I read to book there was something about that time he spent with her that was both tragic and beautiful at the same time, yet none of that made it into the film. Old Bull Lee's character felt grossly undeveloped. The man had this incredible presence in the book and it just felt to me as if the director did not consider him important at all. This is not to say that Viggo Mortensen did not play him well, he did. My issue here is more with the script writing and direction.
However, the one thing that I missed the most from the film was the underlining presence of the whole book, the feeling of searching for something. It felt as if the film was two-dimensional, rarely bringing out those feelings. There were some instances when it did, for example the last scenes in and following Mexico, Marylou's arrival in Frisco and Carlo's feelings about Dean, but overall the feeling was generally missing.
I consider On the Road to be a good film but it wasn't the amazing production expected. I know a lot of people interpret the book in different ways so my views on it may differ from other's, and other's views on the film. This is simply my opinion.