Hollywood Film Festival
IDP Distribution
This indie, written and directed by Bob Gale (co-writer/co-producer on the "Back to the Future" fantasy series), lacks the nimble directing and punchy attitude to fully exploit its convoluted premise. But James Marsden, as the lead character, an artist whose professional and romantic aspirations are profoundly influenced by contact with a mythic granter of wishes, does possess the charisma to carry the movie.
Unfortunately, a rat-a-tat setup introduces an overly familiar cast of characters, including the lead's materialistic lawyer father, pot-smoking girlfriend and sister/best friend. At the crossroads between following his dream and caving in to dad, our hero encounters a magic-pipe-smoking immortal (Gary Oldman) who Will Grant anyone one wish. In a decidedly unfunny warm-up, we see Michael J. Fox in a cameo immediately regret his wish when he's flattened by a truck.
Hit on the head with a bucket, knocked out and sent to the hospital, the lead drifts and dreams -- or does he? -- through a series of road adventures when a weird Guy Christopher Lloyd) sends him off with the task of delivering a package to a woman by way of the titular nonexistent highway. Seeing things, going through enchanted tunnels, getting stuck in a town where everyone is a lawyer, meeting a girl in search of the "perfect fuck," barely escaping a town where drugs (and slavery) are legal -- with Kurt Russell as a corrupt cop -- Marsden's likable dude finally finds the love of his life (Amy Smart) and the courage to go his own way.
Chris Cooper and Ann-Margret also lend a hand, but the film's rather stale group of targets for ridicule and Gale's pedestrian direction result in a long, winding trip to mediocrity.
IDP Distribution
This indie, written and directed by Bob Gale (co-writer/co-producer on the "Back to the Future" fantasy series), lacks the nimble directing and punchy attitude to fully exploit its convoluted premise. But James Marsden, as the lead character, an artist whose professional and romantic aspirations are profoundly influenced by contact with a mythic granter of wishes, does possess the charisma to carry the movie.
Unfortunately, a rat-a-tat setup introduces an overly familiar cast of characters, including the lead's materialistic lawyer father, pot-smoking girlfriend and sister/best friend. At the crossroads between following his dream and caving in to dad, our hero encounters a magic-pipe-smoking immortal (Gary Oldman) who Will Grant anyone one wish. In a decidedly unfunny warm-up, we see Michael J. Fox in a cameo immediately regret his wish when he's flattened by a truck.
Hit on the head with a bucket, knocked out and sent to the hospital, the lead drifts and dreams -- or does he? -- through a series of road adventures when a weird Guy Christopher Lloyd) sends him off with the task of delivering a package to a woman by way of the titular nonexistent highway. Seeing things, going through enchanted tunnels, getting stuck in a town where everyone is a lawyer, meeting a girl in search of the "perfect fuck," barely escaping a town where drugs (and slavery) are legal -- with Kurt Russell as a corrupt cop -- Marsden's likable dude finally finds the love of his life (Amy Smart) and the courage to go his own way.
Chris Cooper and Ann-Margret also lend a hand, but the film's rather stale group of targets for ridicule and Gale's pedestrian direction result in a long, winding trip to mediocrity.
- 10/7/2002
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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