North of Vortex (1991) User Reviews

What's the point?

[Havan_IronOak · 4/10 · 18 August 2001]

This is another of those "art-films". It tells a story, very slowly, with few plot points and no discernable reason for being made into a film. It has the feel of an overly long, less well made, version of a Calvin Klein Obsession commercial.

Interesting Road Picture

[ossurworld · 9/10 · 7 December 2008]

In the great tradition of Jack Kerouac, this film takes a cross-country journey by automobile. With his European poet mentality, the narrator picks up some riders along the way. With next to no budget, this film manages to create a sense of the 1950s America with style, choice of settings, and a jazzy film score. Indeed, this does seem to be a version of On the Road, with faithful ambiance and style. It more than rivals longer, flashier, depictions done with stars, violence, and more than a passing appeal to the pop culture the original bohemians rebelled against. This is a thoughtful film for the cineaste or those interested in character and psychology. I presume that makes it an "art" film in this age of cartoon-based philosophy.