The Road

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The Road

R

2009

1h 50m

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

Sci-Fi

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

74%

Tomatometer

216 Reviews

68%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

America is a grim, gray shadow of itself after a catastrophe. A man (Viggo Mortensen) and his young son (Kodi Smit-McPhee) wander through this post-apocalyptic world, trying to keep the dream of civilization alive. They journey toward the sea, surviving as best they can on what they can scavenge, and try to avoid roving gangs of savage humans who will turn them into slaves, or worse.

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Critics Consensus

The Road's commitment to Cormac McCarthy's dark vision may prove too unyielding for some, but the film benefits from hauntingly powerful performances from Viggo Mortensen and Kodi McPhee.

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Shadow and Act Staff

Shadow and Act

09/13/2022

I still recommend The Road; just keep in mind that this is Cormac McCarthy's post-apocalyptic tale, not Richard Matheson's.

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Deborah Ross

The Spectator

08/30/2018

I cannot say how faithful this is but, having read other McCarthy books, would say the novel probably repaid your attention with its astonishing prose. This, though, puts you through the wringer, but doesn't repay you in any way.

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Ed Koch

The Atlantic

01/16/2018

It wasn't fascinating at all. The movie looked like it cost $500 to make, excluding actors' salaries, which were worth another $500.

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Don Shanahan

Every Movie Has a Lesson

07/28/2025

2/5

Bleak and grim are understatements. It's hard to come away liking a movie with this little innocence or hope.

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Michael Leader

Den of Geek

05/07/2024

3/5

While The Road is not without its impressive aspects, it has not efficiently pulled taut the slack created by the loss of McCarthy’s commanding prose. And so, it is hard to avoid the sense that it needn’t have been made at all.

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

08/30/2023

4/4

Plan to see it twice—once to familiarize yourself with its unconventional, non-commercial method of storytelling, and a second time that allows you to submerge into the material, to appreciate how stunningly composed it is.

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Josh G

@Parsifal83 Jul 31

The Road is a haunting, beautifully acted meditation on survival that somehow never hits with the emotional force it seems destined to. Its relentless bleakness eventually becomes emotionally static, making the film more admirable than devastating. Still, its quietly hopeful ending is deeply moving and lingers long after the credits.

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Jacob S

@Js21js Jul 2

The Road is one of the most understated films I’ve ever seen, and that’s exactly why it sticks with me. It doesn’t try to overwhelm you with exposition or spectacle. Instead, it strips everything down to its most essential form: survival, silence, and the bond between a father and his son. What makes it so powerful is how it trusts simplicity. The world is already broken, so the film doesn’t waste time explaining it—it just exists in it. And within that emptiness, the smallest moments carry the most weight. The scene that stayed with me the most is when the father and child discover the house where humans are kept and treated like livestock. I can’t think of many film moments that have made me physically react the way that did. It wasn’t just shocking—it was deeply unsettling in a way that lingered long after the scene ended. It forced me to confront just how far humanity can fall when everything is reduced to survival. At its core, this film isn’t about twists or plot turns. It’s a

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Zane T

@ZaneThind Jun 26

A powerful visceral survival tale. It even turns up with its thriller elements going into action and survival thriller territory.

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Jamal P

@RT39995825 May 27

incredible film. stunning backgrounds, and just like the book.

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Andr D

@RT63576551 May 25

Great movie about a post-apocalyptic world

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Karthik Y.

@madkarthi May 22

The movie was totally amazing. Very nice production values and great landscapes are there. Amazing work from the director John Hillcoat. I watched his films like The Proposition. I am a biggest fan of that movie because of the authentic feel I felt in the film. It is still the best one for me. This film The Road is my second favorite from his filmography. Viggo acting is best. It is a very nice apocalyptic story. Very emotional film and touching one. I really like this film. That kid acting is also very nice.

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John Hillcoat

Director

Viggo Mortensen

The Man

Kodi Smit-McPhee

The Boy

Charlize Theron

Wife

Robert Duvall

Old Man

Guy Pearce

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Synopsis

America is a grim, gray shadow of itself after a catastrophe. A man (Viggo Mortensen) and his young son (Kodi Smit-McPhee) wander through this post-apocalyptic world, trying to keep the dream of civilization alive. They journey toward the sea, surviving as best they can on what they can scavenge, and try to avoid roving gangs of savage humans who will turn them into slaves, or worse.

Director: John Hillcoat
Producer: Paula Mae Schwartz, Steve Schwartz, Nick Wechsler
Screenwriter: Joe Penhall
Distributor: Weinstein Co.
Production Co: Dimension Films, Chockstone Pictures, 2929 Productions
Rating: R (Language|Disturbing Images|Some Violence)
Genre: Drama, Mystery & Thriller, Sci-Fi
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 18, 2009, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 16, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $8.1M
Runtime: 1h 50m
Sound Mix: SDDS, Dolby Digital, DTS

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