Review: Blue Road (2009)

[Steve Rhodes]

BLUE ROAD
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 2009 Steve Rhodes

RATING (0 TO ****):  ***

BLUE ROAD, a two-person picture, written and directed by Oliver Cukor, has 
its limitations, mainly around the lack of a well-developed narrative.  But, 
if you stop trying to analyze its problems and just be in the moment with 
it, it rewards your patience, as you take a road trip across the western 
part of the United States.

The film has three stars and basically zero supporting cast.  Sean Matic 
plays Nick, Sarah Louise Lilley plays Kate and the gorgeous landscapes of 
just about every national park west of the Mississippi play themselves.

When we meet Nick and Sarah, they are a couple in only the numeric sense. 
While they dated ten years ago and haven't seen each other since then until 
now, they are back together again under somewhat unclear circumstances. 
After Nick picks Sarah up at the Los Angeles Airport, he proposes that they 
just "drive and see what happens."  Since he is on vacation and she has 
inherited enough money that she doesn't need to work anymore, they both have 
the time for a long car trip.  What they don't have is much chemistry.

As they drive around the country, Sarah spends most of the time looking at 
the scenery and avoiding eye contact with Nick, her old flame.  Along the 
way, of course, they will begin to bond and perhaps -- or perhaps not --  
fall in love again.

The film's subtle symbolism is delicious.  Sarah sees her world, quite 
literally, through rose colored glasses.  In contrast, the usually 
all-too-practical Nick prefers black horn-rimmed glasses.  He is such a nerd 
at heart that he initially forgets to take them off when he and Sarah make 
love for the first time in ten years.  Eventually his awkwardness subsides 
some, and the film's major loving making moment, which occurs later, is 
beautifully done.

Most directors don't have a clue as to how to film sex.  Many think that 
it's something akin to a wrestling match, while other directors test your 
willingness to suspend disbelief by suggesting that sex is normally 
performed with most of your clothes on.

Along the way, Nick and Sarah's intimacy increases as they open up and share 
some of their hopes and fears.  Much of this dialog occurs in the car as 
they are driving along.  Most directors don't know how to make car 
conversation appear natural.  There are so many ways to go wrong -- by 
having the actors maintain an unrealistic amount of eye contact, by amping 
down the natural road noise or by overstuffing the dialog.  Cukor, using a 
simple set up of multiple cameras inside the car and letting the actors just 
drive along as they talk, captures this all perfectly and completely 
believably.

While it's a movie without any big moments or dramatic story twists, BLUE 
ROAD is consistently satisfying.  If there is a complaint to be made about 
it by some, it might come from an unconscious bit of jealousy.  As George 
Bernard Shaw famously said, "youth is wasted on the young."  Watching these 
two young adults, as free as the birds, travel our country's highways and 
byways, soaking up the scenery and enjoying their youth, one can't help but 
be a bit envious.

BLUE ROAD runs 1:48.

The film is being shown as part of San Jose's Cinequest Film Festival 
(www.Cinequest.org), which runs February 25-March 8, 2009.

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