5.7 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 2.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
Where will the road take her? Angie is a free spirit living on her own terms and occasionally waitressing to make money. But when she makes connections with a drifter, a handsome cop, and his sister , she finds herself torn between her life of absolute freedom and being tied to people who care about her. Beautifully filmed and acted, it's an inspiring film about love in all its many forms.
Starring: Camilla Belle, Andy Garcia, Juliette Lewis, Colin Egglesfield, John SavageComing of age | 100% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English SDH, French, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
UV digital copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 1.5 | |
Video | 3.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
A film such as "Open Road" should come packaged with a pair of maps: one to navigate the interstate travels of the lead character, and another to help track her emotional journey as it winds through a range of experiences that aren't defined to satisfaction. Without some type of guide to ease explanation of screen events, the picture feels hopelessly lost, baffling viewers as it strives to concoct a poignant odyssey of self-discovery and maturity, only to peel off storytelling textures in the editing process. It's seem rude to label the movie a mess when it clearly launches with pure intentions to connect with viewers via road trip melodramatics, but director Marcio Garcia (an popular South American actor at the helm of his second feature) doesn't have the skill to manage such suffocating cliche, playing too fast with the particulars of the plot in an effort to tie a bow around the tale by the time the end credits arrive. "Open Rage" immediately dissolves into a blur of motivations and ill-defined histories, making soulful connection impossible.
The AVC encoded image (2.35:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "Open Road" does look a little overly brightened, washing out the natural vibrancy of the southwestern colors. Hues are present but slightly unremarkable, mostly memorable with costuming and set decoration, while a flatter, sun-drenched look keeps the exteriors brownish with some greenery to cut through the colorless locations. Skintones lack richness, losing some of their natural appearance. Shadow detail is adequate, with a few scenes suffering from solidified backgrounds and dense hairstyles. Contrast also loses confidence on occasion. Detail is acceptable for this HD-shot feature, with appealing facial textures and small town decoration, but this is not a visually explosive effort to begin with.
The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix gives this modest movie some sonic lift, leading with soundtrack selections that find a warm presence in the surrounds. There's no true separation, but a convincing circular feel that helps the image find its intended mood, aided by crisp instrumentation and a satisfying bass that holds low and stable. Dialogue exchanges sound full and emotional, managing the range of voices without distortion. The mix helps out Belle, who speaks so softly, it's amazing she's a professional actress, yet her dialogue isn't washed away, showing a secure place in the commotion. Scoring needs are met without intrusion, setting a soft tone of travel and reflection. Atmospherics are engaging, amplifying Angie's adventures in the wild, with bustling insect activity, while crowd sequences serve up a layer of voices.
The climax of "Open Road" goes for a twist, and it's not a good idea. There's so little to the movie already, the presence of a sucker-punch ending (soaked in crocodile tears) makes the film feel desperate. Without any of the subplots realized to satisfaction, while performances largely flounder, the cathartic summation of domestic peace registers crudely. Garcia is tugging at heartstrings instead of massage a more profound experience out of the screenplay, watering Angie's anguish down to a few nightmares, a bland relationship, and daddy issues. There really should be more to this effort than a steady stream of banalities.
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