Adopt a Highway (2019) User Reviews

It's just nice.

[Smallclone100 · 7/10 · 4 November 2019]

Nice. It's just a nice film. Not bad, not great. Just nice. Directed by Logan Marshall Green, it's only around 80 minutes long. An ex con finds an abandoned baby in a dumpster and tries to figure out his next move.

Ethan Hawke isn't at his best but he does a good job. Elaine Hendrix is the standout even though she has about 8 minutes screen time.

It suffers from a few mis-steps early on because of character choices, and there is one terribly hokey voice over moment towards the end but it did the job for a Saturday night movie.

Here's why it wasn't well received . . .

[signlady · 5/10 · 11 September 2022]

This is an ok movie - but it could've been better.

It is slow and it does leave too much unsaid - so you have to watch carefully. There are a lot of subtlties. Maybe too many. Or possibly, the director assumes you can just somehow automatically fill in the blanks. But I always say, if it's THAT vague, it's TOO vague.

As for Hawke, IF he was portraying a guy on the spectrum for Asperger's Syndrome, he did an excellent job; He was totally socially inept, a loner, a diligent worker, completely literal minded. Not naturally empathetic, but mostly practical minded. Saving the baby, for him, was almost like finding a kitten or a puppy. It was a breathing, living thing that he could connect with, which in spite of difficulties, did not say things as confusing as almost all people.

And there were a few other clues . . . Just one for example - the letter from his dad, including the line that said, 'Go find yourself.' which implies he has struggled all his life to fit in or be normal. Hence, the marijuana, which, by the way probably helped him socialize/cope. So, he was about 25 by the third time he was arrested for possession of an ounce 'with intent to sell' and served just over 21 years for what is now legal in places, or barely a misdemeanor. This punishment-doesn't-fit-the-crime is actually the main and only direct message of the movie.

If vague things totally frustrate you, this movie may well frustrate you, unless you watch it without reading a synopsis.

So here are two, huge lucid, reasons why this movie is utterly misunderstood;

First, the title is completely wrong. It makes no sense whatever. It really adds nothing to the movie, means nothing throughout the movie.

I think by now everyone has heard of 'Adopt a Highway'. In my state it's 'Adopt a Mile'. It's meant to be about keeping the right of way & medians along highways clean. Different groups, organizations, or even individuals can participate in removing trash from mile marker to mile marker & beyond.

So, the title creates some sort of expectation that is never addressed at any point in this movie.

Secondly, the synopsis for this movie focuses more on him finding the baby, and that is not the story! The synopsis here at IMDb is errant, and I happened to rent this from Redbox. The synopsis there too errantly makes you think it's all about him & this baby.

I also read a lot of reviews here where people complained about the movie changing midway thru. Likely because of the misleading synopsis, they expected the baby story as well.

In fact, the Russell-Ella story is basically over in the first quarter of the movie, except for one special thing near the end. So it does come full circle.

But you still gotta movie here with an illogical title, AND a misleading synopsis that both lead to certain expectations.

Most people think - basically, in essence, maybe this guy is gonna adopt/raise this baby to clean up highways, or travel together? Or some story line like that.

It's nothing like any of that.

I myself wanted to write a better synopsis - but it is difficult - because - what IS this movie about??

If only it had been made a little clearer - if only it had a more apt title. If only the director would have given us more insight, more backstory about Russell.

Aside from the penal-overkill message, I THINK it's simply about a loner guy who's been awkward his entire life, ends up spending most of his life in prison, and gets out of prison only to realize, in spite of the world's progress, he's still the same, and people are still very confusing. Again, finding the baby shows us how much easier it literally is for him to connect to a person who doesn't confuse him. He meets a girl on a bus and we see he likes her because she straight forward and blunt.

Both his parents are gone, and they obviously weren't living well-to-do because we see their graves in the area with the cheapest markers. Before Russell (Rusty) ever knows about his inheritance, at their gravesides he thanks his parents for being his parents. Then he comes to realize he was loved by his dad. And his dad has left him wealthy. And we know he makes at least one excellent choice with some of that wealth.

This movie is, ultimately a good redemption story, howbeit vaguely told & poorly titled.

A better title would've been the name of one of the more special stamps.

A better story would've been to eliminate gratutitus walking scenes, or bus-on-road scenes, replacing then with more scenes that help us understand Rusty.

It lost it's way midway through!

[SoumikBanerjee1996 · 5/10 · 28 September 2020]

"Adopt a Highway" conveys righteousness in an endearing way. With the help of a heartwarming yet fragmentary tale about an Ex Felon. Who's attempting to reshape his shattered life once again!

The narrative follows an Ex prisoner Russel Earl Millings played by Ethan Hawke who just served a 21 year long sentence and recently got out in Parole. Convicted back in the 90's for possession of drugs, for him; the world has now drastically changed. I love how the writers never preached using him as a victim of the justice system nor did express any apathy. Instead they only showcased their disdain for the unfair sentence given to Russell for such a trifling crime.

Craving for a fresh start, Russell works hard everyday. He's always careful about his comportment and outlook to other people as he's still in parole and yet to procure his full freedom back. He doesn't wanna mess that up! Struggling to cope up with this obscure world where everything feels unfamiliar, a Ray of Hope decides to shine upon Russel. Ella, a little angel who brought hope & a breeze of fresh air into his solitary life. Despite having no prior experience of parenthood, he tries so hard to be one. Although by law, he can't keep an abandoned child legally. He had to give up on her & he loses that spark; the script followed soon.

The first half of the film was a riveting journey and it made me inquisitive to see what happens next. To my bewilderment, In the second half it succumbed into degradation! Their intent was naive but the execution faltered on too many facets! Characterization left a huge void, Screenplay took its predominant pace down, the storytelling got off the track with a too much subtlety. Where it demanded a more straightforward approach. Ethan Hawke is great as always and perhaps the sole reason I sticked through. I feel bitter to see how underutilized he was though. With a criminally underrated actor in your helm; they should have done a lot better!

I feel for him

[Gordon-11 · 7 November 2019]

This film tells the story of a man who was imprisoned for 21 years. Soon after his release from jail, he finds a baby in a dumpster.

It is a film that offers humanity and hope. The scene in the bank is very touching. The story is somewhat sad because the protagonist deserves better, and I really feel for him. It is a slow film, but it is a film to feel.

Heartbreaking Ethan Hawke

[PaxtonMalloy · 7/10 · 10 January 2021]

This is an easy one to write. This a cute little indie that no one would ever talk about if it it wasn't carried by e heartbreaking performance of Ethan Hawke. You just wish to have good things happen to him. He draws you in with his vulnerability, his sadness and his humility. After a very strong first half the movie falls a little flat until the end delivers a emotional climax but it won't matter because Hawke's performance will safely carry you through the movie.

Light at the end of the tunnel.

[skt946-149-667921 · 7/10 · 26 December 2019]

Really liked the movie however the only drawback with me was he came across like a slug, a caveman seeing the modern world for the first time. But, I guess in some ways he was. Loved the happy ending, kind of a pleasant surprise. A very good day and good luck to you dude is what I would have said to him in the end.

Slow-burn drama about a socially awkward ex-con who discovers the value of giving and receiving after he discovers a (live) baby left in a dumpster

[akcenat · 6/10 · 14 December 2019]

Small and deliberate production do not brings "Adopt A Highway"- with a curious story and a couple of strong performances (Ethan Hawke and especially Elaine Hendrix) - where it was intending. Movie seems as confused and disorientation as its lead character, wandering around and never quite figuring out what story it wants to tell. The film shifts in the second half of the movie when debut feature film director (Logan Marshall-Green) picks up the pace after Hawke discovering the baby, but it is quite absurd that lead character (Hawke) learns of his father's death while reading an obituary online, even though director has already established that he was never estranged from his family. As abruptly pushing its hero into a new situation, Marshall-Green's screenplay becomes less focused than before and that is the point where my level of interest begins to decrease. In conclusin, the heart of the story is strong, however, there are a few too many details that are a little too far-fetched that take away from its strength. It's hard to believe that Russell, even in prison for that long, would have literally no idea how to use the internet; that, given what we're told and the conclusion, he wouldn't know what happened to his parents; and that he would not know immediately that keeping an abandoned baby was a bad idea.

Rating: 6+

A fine film, but perhaps not the one you may expect it to be

[darkreignn · 7/10 · 9 March 2021]

I am a big Ethan Hawke fan, so when I saw he was starring in a movie where the IMDb description was simply, "An ex-felon discovers a live baby left in a dumpster," I couldn't wait to watch it. And Ethan Hawke, as usual, doesn't disappoint. The premise of the movie, however, kind of does.

If you're going into this movie expecting to see a heartwarming tale about a man who finds an abandoned baby and then raises it for his own, don't. That's exactly what I thought I was getting, and it's not a huge spoiler to say that Ethan's character finding the baby in the dumpster is not the main plot point, but instead the catalyst that kicks off a sort of road-trip style journey of redemption. In this way, I was disappointed, because I really was looking forward to a movie about an ex-con trying to get back on his feet, and who suddenly has to find a way to care for a baby; there's about 15 minutes of this type of film, before the movie pivots completely. And in the end, it'll be up to you to see if you enjoy the new direction.

If there's one thing that kept me engaged throughout the film, it was Ethan Hawke's performance. He was fantastic as a deeply traumatized and damaged man who has spent the majority of his life in prison, who is now trying to make an honest go of things in a world that doesn't necessarily like, respect, or care about him. His character clearly has social anxiety, which is evident in every conversation that he has with people. He always looks nervous, never makes eye-contact, and barely says anything to people, which is a testament to prisons tendency to leave people more damaged when they leave than they were when they entered.

The movie moves as briskly as you'd expect for an 80 minute film, but it does slightly slow down whenever the road-trip shenanigans start. With that said, the road-trip sections also feature some of the best character dynamics, specifically between Ethan Hawke and Elaine Hendrix. They share many meaningful and emotional scenes together, where you can tell that both of them are starting to feel some sort of connection with each other; when their time finally comes to an end, Elaine has a moment that can best be described with a song title: "Should I Stay or Should I Go." And that moment is powerful as well as heartbreaking in its subtlety, serving as a painful reminder that one choice always cuts off another.

"Adopt a Highway" is a fine enough film, carried by Ethan Hawke's performance. He's really good in the role, and was the main draw for me as a viewer to continue watching the film. The movie didn't progress in the way I was expecting, and certainly not in the way I was wanting, but when the credits rolled I found myself having enjoyed my time with the film as a whole.

Sweet, slow emotional movie

[pancolart · 8/10 · 2 November 2019]

Basically about father and son but this isn't apparent from start. Made me cry a bit. It is slowly revolving, building the character of a lost soul, good hearted ex convict Russ. He is trying to find something to hold, to anchor his life to. It is also movie about injustice of the system and life. Probably not for everyone to watch but if you know feeling of being lost and lonesome, feeling of being disconnected from parents, work and hyper motivated world then...

Life is the sum of big little things

[tllgm2010 · 7/10 · 19 November 2019]

Wonderful job by Ethan Hawke. Excellent film and a beautiful yet strange way of looking at life. Loved it but the end left me with a thorn that bothers me, I cannot find the spot where it is. I think, in the end I'll learn to live with it, like all the others I have (I'm not sick or something, don't get me wrong).

Nothing to do with adopting

[firebladegriff · 4/10 · 8 February 2021]

Absolute drivel about a guy who got out of prison after 20 yrs, finds a baby, keeps it a few days before authorities step in. Visits his past and his late father's grave and leaves a wedge to the child when she's 18 that he inherited from his late father. She

A melancholic and endearing film.

[peterp-450-298716 · 8/10 · 3 November 2019]

When you commit a third violent crime, you will be put away and put away for good. Three strikes and you are out.

Every now and then you come across such an unknown, idiosyncratic film, which was probably made with a modest budget and for which no huge marketing budgets have been made available. A film you don't really expect too much from. That's "Adopt a Highway". It's not a cheerful or action-rich film. I really expected a depressing drama. And even though there's a moving moral in it, you can say there's also another hidden message in this film. A message of hope, compassion, and modesty.

The introduction shows how Russell Millings (Ethan Hawke) leaves prison after being imprisoned for 21 years. Reluctantly. Somewhat anxious and timid. A man who's alienated from society and who struggles to keep up with the contemporary pace. Someone who has never used a mobile phone, the internet or e-mail. And all thanks to a short-sighted policy in which someone is sentenced to a heavy sentence when he gets involved in something for the third time. No matter how small the criminal offense is. The so-called "three strikes" legislation. In Russell's case, it is about owning a few grams of marijuana in the state of California. Something that has become virtually legal after those 21 years. An unreasonable punishment that ensured that he wasn't given the opportunity to develop into a decent citizen.

Ethan Hawke probably demonstrates his best acting performance here. The way he plays Russell is simply breathtaking. He's in the spotlight almost constantly. And his clumsy way of conversing and interacting with others is simply sad and pitiful. It's not clear whether Russell used to be mentally deficient from a young age already or if he got numb from the years of imprisonment. In any case, he's treated by the official authorities as insignificant and is left to himself a bit. He tries to live an honest life and tries to avoid following the wrong path again. A simple life where he earns a living as a dishwasher in a fast-food chain and sleeps in a motel. Until he discovers the adorable Ella (Savannah Sucher) in a garbage container.

Even though from the outset he realizes that it's almost impossible for him to take care of a baby, he still hesitates to hand over the lovely baby to the authorities. What follows are touching moments that he experiences with the few-month-old Ella. His ignorance about taking care of a baby and the sense of responsibility that he suddenly experiences, take away the attention of the depressing life that he led until then. Even though Ella's discovery brings a turning point in Russell's life, this wasn't the central theme for me. This helpless and innocent little girl shows gratitude in a spontaneous way. No disinterest, impatience or incomprehension as adults treat him. The most emotional scene is the one on the beach where Russell tells a part of his life story.

"Adopt a Highway" is a melancholic and endearing film that will touch a sensitive nerve with many viewers. Well, in my case it did. Some will call it a corny ending. I thought it was a logical conclusion. An example of humanity. It's also a film about getting a second chance in life. I was surprised by the Blumhouse logo and I already assumed that this would be a very sinister movie. That's certainly not the case. The explanation for the Blumhouse connection lies with the director Logan Marshall-Green who appeared last year in the Blumhouse production "Upgrade". "Adopt a Highway" is, therefore, his debut as a director. And as far as I'm concerned he can certainly direct such a gem again. I'm ready for it.

Good heart warming story

[kaz-62 · 7/10 · 3 January 2020]

I enjoyed the film, however the music that played almost constantly throughout the movie was so loud I struggled to here the dialog. which spoilt it for me

Hawke tries his best but this is a forgettable indie drama

[eddie_baggins · 4/10 · 23 August 2020]

For his directional debut, well-liked if not particularly well-known actor Logan Marshall Green has gone down the independent redemptive route with his small-scale character study Adopt a Highway, a film that's half explored ideas and frustrating inability to do more with its concept holds it back greatly from being the type of indie drama that will make its mark in a highly competitive marketplace.

Focussing on Ethan Hawke's slow-witted and charisma free Russell Millings, an unfortunate soul born without an ounce of drive and only recently being set free from a 20-plus year prison stint for a seemingly minor string of drug offences, Highway has a core concept of redemption told in a new way as Millings finds an abandoned baby in a dumpster behind his workplace but Green's inability to stick this plotline out in an engaging manner hampers the films chances of sticking its landing.

It was a huge win for Green and his tale to have locked in Hawke as Millings, as despite the characters frustrating inability to string much of sentence together or to make any rational normal decisions (perhaps born out of years of incarceration, perhaps not as the film never explains this to us) the always watchable actor gives Highway his all in what's another impressive dramatic performance from the long-serving actor who continues to showcases consistently that he is at home in either Hollywood blockbusters or tiny films like this, a diverse skill not many possess.

With Hawke trying his best with little to work with, Highway remains watchable throughout but Green's stoic and uninspired direction and a script that only really kicks into gear come the films more engaging and enjoyable final 10 - 15 minutes, Highway mostly remains a cold and only slightly enjoyable affair that really does squander its marketed and core concept.

Going into Highway you expect a fairly robust examination of what would happen if a man with nothing, no loved ones, no friends and no real idea all of a sudden found himself in charge of a living, breathing tiny human but despite brief moments where Highway seems be becoming the film you expected all along, Green chucks that idea straight out the window to take Highway down a path you never expected and one that pretty much is wasted minutes of Millings on a cross country bus trip that in the end amounts to very little.

Final Say -

There's some great little human moments in Highway and a valiant attempt by Hawke to bring everything together but with an unengaging lead character and a real squandering of its core concept, Adopt a Highway is a frustrating first feature film attempt by Green that he can hopefully rectify in future endeavours.

2 mustard & mayonnaise sandwiches out of 5

Just released convict tries to reconnect with outside life.

[TxMike · 30 January 2020]

My wife and I watched this at home on DVD from our public library.

I was expecting more, not sure what though. While this certainly isn't a bad movie it does move very slowly in many spots and in some ways lacks authenticity. However the overall message is a very good one.

Ethan Hawke, who also produced, is Russell Millings. While it isn't really explained, a series of quick glances at old newspaper clippings tell us he was a California "three strikes" victim and was imprisoned for roughly 20 years for selling small quantities of marijuana. Now he is being released.

I don't know what goes on in prisons but in his case he knows nothing about cell phones, email, and the internet in general. However when he learns and looks up his father back in Wyoming he finds that he has died.

Russell gets a job as a general grunt at a restaurant, cleaning dishes and floors, taking out garbage. One night late, into the early morning, he finds a baby in the dumpster.

The movie has an unusual name but the connection is why not adopt a young person, not a real adoption but a symbolic one? Find a way to assure it is taken care of as the person grows into young adulthood.

My biggest issue is with how Hawke chose to portray Russell, almost as a nonverbal person. When asked to explain the sequence of events that led up to his discovering the baby, he stammers a very slight amount but doesn't explain anything. He plays him as a person who is severely handicapped verbally. I think the movie would have been more effective if he had played him differently.

The movie is only 80 minutes long, with credits, and to me it comes across as overly simple for the subject.

Just a good movie, old and nice way

[exisce · 7/10 · 27 January 2021]

Action lovers, skip this one. This movie is really slow, but the 90 minutes flew by as we watched the amazing performance by Ethan Hawke. Of course, he is the best thing about the film. The plot is simple: a man who spent 21 years in prison tries to catch up with his life and the changed environment. It's a difficult task, but he gets the much needed help from...and I won't spoil it further. An enjoyable relaxing and touching movie, definitely worth watching.

Simple, slow and heartwarming in the good way

[arsene-lupen · 7/10 · 10 January 2020]

No useless charming. No romance. Just simple life reboot after spending 20 years behind the bars for basically 'nothing'. Ethan Hawke did a great work again. Of course this movie might not be among that so called but less valued (by me only) 'blockbusters'. But I'm sure when he and Logan Marshall-Green winked at each other at the end of the shooting they both knew that it did worth it to make this movie. I'm looking for the next work of both of you.

Worth a watch if your undecided..

[jtto · 7/10 · 16 February 2021]

Could have spent annother 20 minutes finishing the story.. a court where he has a light sentence or a worker giving an alabi.. just left too many banks

Book pace.

[ssshardcastle-624-582795 · 7/10 · 27 May 2020]

Nice movie to watch with the family. And or your girlfriend!!

A heartwarming reminder about life.

[novacasa42 · 8/10 · 6 November 2019]

Adopt A Highway is a feel-good story that brings out a lot of emotions at once, what we have here is a sweet story that's told on two facets, one is a story of a lost soul doing its best to survive and the other side of it is this heartwarming longing to a nice life once lived and never quite got enough of it. I was caught off guard several times by the performances as they were genuine and heartfelt and that added so much to the story, Ethan Hawke's rendition here was spot on, he delivers on so many levels, he gave his character life, and he infused it with minor details that make it just work. This film goes to remind us that it's never too late to start a new life, no matter how much you suffered or went through, there's always a way to start over and live again, Solid film.

Good movie

[marshall-dep · 7/10 · 31 July 2021]

Love Ethan Hawke. A snippet of a life. Great performance.

Hardly

[Astaroth22 · 4/10 · 12 May 2020]

Good acting and a cute baby. Nothing much after that. Also, the obvious political message is lost and falls flat. One thing is for certain though, if he acted like that in prison he wouldn't have lasted 10 seconds - never mind 21 years.

Hawke is Superb in This Wonderful Indie

[larrys3 · 9/10 · 5 January 2020]

If one can overlook some of the far-fetched plot elements here and just go with the flow this can be a wonderful movie,

Ethan Hawke gives another superb performance as Russell Mullings, traumatized by a 21 year prison stretch (under the old California 3 strikes law) for minor drug offenses. Just released, and working as a dishwasher at a burger joint, he finds a baby girl left in a dumpster.

This will all lead to a chain of events that can be quite heartbreaking at times. But I thought a most poignant and appropriate ending here made it all worth while

Ehhh it's okay

[smason-71888 · 7/10 · 28 February 2020]

The movie would of been way better if he got the baby and fought for custody of the baby, that would of made it a better movie but it was just okay..

Started out good...and then it went to s**t

[Brajja · 1/10 · 23 November 2019]

Great acting by Ethan and nicely directed. But the script was written by someone who has been lobotomized. So just because he's downtrodden and mortified by the presence of authorities he becomes a walking imbecile? But not always though, only when something happens. This could have been a really good movie. But it's not.