Anyone seen The Road?

HandofCod

HandofCod

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I was a bit put off because I don't typically go for the apocalypse film genre but I found I really connected with this film. Something about the themes of family, love and desperation really spoken to me. It has been something that's stayed in the back of mind for a long time now - what do you do when everything that we rely on disappears and your life is stripped of everything but the most precious to you?

I have never read any of Cormac McCarthy's novels but went to see The Road mainly because I think No Country For Old Men was the best film of 2009. I read a lot of reviews that said it was boring and grim. But for me it was compelling.

Any survivalists that saw the film or read the book?

(Apologies for any typographical/grammatical errors, I can't type for crap when I've been drinking. It's Friday night in Oz!)
 
I liked the Book better than the movie, movie was good. Both the Book and Movie left me depressed as hell for a few days. I am a Father and Gun owner so I could see how bad a situation something like that would be.


RickJ
 
I read the book but have not seen the movie. I read it straight through, I just couldn't put the book down. Seriously tough times, I wouldn't want to go through it, especially with your child. Dark days indeed.
David
 
Yes I have. It was shown here recently in my country. Haven't gotten to read the book though.

As I recall, there were a couple of threads about it some months back, one even ran a couple of pages long.

Overall, most folks liked it despite its apparent "hard/depressing" tone. Commenting strictly on the film though, it highlighted more the relationship and deep bond between a father a son rather than on the EOTW elements.
 
I finally watched it a few weeks ago. I also liked the book better than the movie, and I also read it almost straight through.

I thought the movie was very true to the book, and did a pretty good job of capturing the feel of the book. But transferring a book to film can be a pretty tall order. Especially when the author is as gifted as Cormac McCarthy.

I don't know how you define survivalist, so I'm not sure if I am one, and that wasn't my mindset while I was watching the movie. But as someone who would like to be ready to survive that type of scenario, it was interesting in a lot of ways.

I won't give any spoilers, but I did learn at least a couple of things: Having more than 3 bullets would probably be a good idea; And, Cormac McCarthy is a great writer.
 
RickJ said:
I liked the Book better than the movie, movie was good. Both the Book and Movie left me depressed as hell for a few days. I am a Father and Gun owner so I could see how bad a situation something like that would be.


RickJ
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Speaking as someone who's partner suffers from depression and has been through some really grim times, seeing the relationship between Viggo and Charlize really struck a cord.

For me the test of a great movie is if it stays with you for days after you see it. I'm glad I wasn't the only one!

I think I'll have to check out the book...
 
Read the book and saw the flick- the book is better, but what I liked the most was that it was not your typical apocolyptic story-i.e. focused on the disaster, not the people affected. It was depressing, but my guess would be that the end of the world as we know it is pretty depressing, especially if you have kids.
 
I've read (and been haunted by) the book, as well as several of his others (try Blood Meridian). The movie didn't show locally, so I'm waiting for the DVD to become available.

I read The Road abourt four years ago, shortly after the birth of my daughter. I did not know much about McArthy then, and thought I was picking up a typical, light, adventure/action - type book. Imagine my surprise!

It is a great book that literally gave me nightmares and has left me thinking. McArthy has a knack for juxtaposing the beautiful and the utterly horrible.
 
I watched it and liked it a lot. A bit darker than I was expecting but overall a good movie. I was hoping it would draw more attention than it did, but I am happy movies like this are being made.
 
I really liked the book, I guess it might have freaked me out more if I had kids but I don't. It did make me think more about the end of the world as we know it kind of situations though and by the next day I was even looking through a survivalist forum lol. I read it really fast as well, started the night I got it and finished it the next day (I slept in between though), that's partly because I really got into it but also because there were no chapters which was pretty weird.

I haven't seen the movie yet because I missed it when it went into theaters (I might have seen one ad but that was it) and I don't even know if it played where I live. I heard it comes out on DVD in a month here but they said that last month too so who knows. Looking forward to seeing it though.
 
I read both books and saw both movies. I liked all four. I guess "The Road' wasn't a big hit as a movie as it was so unrelentingly grim. Perhaps also, it didn't go over big with survivalists, because it clearly pointed out that a post-apocalyptic world would be hell on earth and that for some people at least, as epitomized by the boy's mother,suicide would be the preferred option.
Apparently in an interview [which I never saw] McCarthy said that he was not religious [as I am not] and his books were not to be interpreted in a religious light although religion and God were referred to.
 
Bleak and shocking is how I found the movie. I actually had a hard time with it. Being a father of two boys it just made my stomach turn and in about 3 different spots I almost turned it off. A good movie, don't get me wrong but not for the faint of heart.

really makes you think...
 
reading the book at the moment - not finding it too bleak to be honest but its certainly a concept I'm interested in - not sure how I would deal in the same situation but its clear the guy wasn't prepaired and interesting how he adapted to the situation

want to read one second after next but cant seem to find it at any of my local book stores
 
I wish McCarthy would explain why he added the trout paragraph at the end of the book, is it supposed to symbolise hope or the bleak opposite that some things cannot be undone.
 
I have not seen the movie but i thought the book was very compelling. Like others here, it stuck with me for days.

I also like the way the story focused more on the characters and issues they faced rather then what caused the apocalyptic situation. This was one of my favorite books in the way it was thought provoking and drew you into the story. As a father, you could not help but get drawn into the story.
 
I don't like anything from Cormac Mccarthy. I don't need a movie to tell me that dark and gloomy days will be dark and gloomy. There was very little to the movie. Just this bleak, dark place with no grass or living trees. Funny that every living creature died, even the rats and cockroaches, died but people survived. It just wasn't able to suspend disbelief because the scenario was so unbelievable.

I guess the point was supposed to be our shock of the things Viggo does near the end, but there just wasn't enough character development for that.

Not sure if the book was better. I'm sure it probably was.

All in all, I wish I hadn't wasted my money or my time... just as I did when I accidentally saw No Country for Old Men.
 
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