Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Copious sex and drugs in boring adaptation of great book.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
On the Road
What's the Story?
Young writer Sal Paradise (Sam Riley) meets free spirit Dean Moriarty (Garrett Hedlund) and begins a life of adventure on the road. He also meets Dean's girlfriend, Marylou (Kristen Stewart), and many other beautiful women (Kirsten Dunst, Amy Adams), as well as other talented writers Carlo Marx (Tom Sturridge) and Old Bull Lee (Viggo Mortensen). Sal falls in love, works manual labor jobs, writes, drinks, smokes pot, has sex, and hits the road again. Dean disappears from his life and returns months (or years) later. At the end of it all, Sal believes he has experienced something close to life.
Is It Any Good?
It's hard to imagine how such an exciting book became such a boring movie, especially since producer Francis Ford Coppola has been trying to make it since 1979. To start, Walter Salles may have been a very bad choice as director. His only previous outing dealing with rebellious youth on the road was the polite, picture-postcard The Motorcycle Diaries, which reduced the volatile Che Guevara to a button-cute romantic lead.
This time, Salles piles on the sex and drugs -- in addition to a grungy, handheld visual style -- perhaps in the vain hope that his movie will seem edgy, but at its core, ON THE ROAD is lifeless and passive. The main character's few active moments are cut short, and it becomes clear that he's simply observing everything as it passes by. The observed characters never spring to life; we never see their point of view. The only burst of life in the movie is Mortensen's frighteningly good bit part as "Old Bull Lee" (a.k.a. William S. Burroughs).
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about On the Road's smoking, alcohol, and drug use. What causes these young people to consume so much? What problems does it cause? What are the consequences (if any)?
How does the movie depict sex? Does love enter the equation? Parents, talk to your teens about your own values regarding sex and relationships.
How does the movie differ from the novel? What kind of impact did the novel have at the time? Do you think it would be the same if it were published today?
Should a writer observe everything in his life or actively take part in his life? What would a balance of the two look like?
Movie Details
- In theaters : December 21, 2012
- On DVD or streaming : August 6, 2013
- Cast : Garrett Hedlund , Kristen Stewart , Sam Riley
- Director : Walter Salles
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Gay Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : IFC Entertainment
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Book Characters
- Run time : 124 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : strong sexual content, drug use and language
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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