Cineplex Blog

Newsletter SMS Alerts Version française Facebook Twitter SMS Mobile
Theatres FIND A MOVIE MOVIES AT HOME

Site Navigation

  1. Theatres
  2. Movies
  3. Events
  4. Buy Tickets
  5. Video
  6. Blog
  7. Contests
  8. Corporate Sales
  9. SCENE
  10. Buy/Rent Movies
  11. Gift Cards
 
Cineplex Movie Blog banner

Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit-McPhee in The Road


When the composition of the world as you know it has all the stability and lustre of cigarette ash and barren doesn’t begin to describe the ravaged landscape, hope would likely be the last word on your lips.

But John Hillcoat’s distressing and tender post-apocalyptic tale The Road finds faith in the relationship between a father and son and offers a different take on the disaster movie.

“There ended up not being references to any of the post-apocalyptic films,” Hillcoat offered while in town during the Toronto International Film Festival last September. “In fact, The Bicycle Thieves ended up being one of the main [influences] because that was a father and son story and they’re really under pressure and it had this incredible emotional pull to it."

"And also, the thing about apocalyptic films is they tend to be about the big event – either stopping it or building up to it – whereas this is much more…you’re immediately in it.”

Indeed, audiences are surprisingly deprived of almost all catastrophic scenes or last minute so-crazy-it-just-might-work plans since the on-screen action is traded for aftermath.

The film, based on Cormac McCarthy’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel of the same name, follows an unnamed man and son, played by Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit-McPhee respectively, who try to survive by holding tight to each other after the rest of the world has melted away, unexplained.

Mortensen, whose previous work includes Hidalgo, Lord of the Rings, A History of Violence and Eastern Promises, has a 21-year-old son of his own and revealed that he initially viewed the role through the lens of a father.

Watch an EXCLUSIVE making-of featurette here

John Hillcoat on the set of The Road
Director John Hillcoat. Photo by Macall Polay.

"My point of entry was definitely understanding that idea," he said while in town for the film festival. "Having been a father, having a son, who, in some ways, is similar to Kodi, when he was Kodi's age. But after we started going...I mean, we're not flesh and blood and if it weren't for The Road, we might never have met and yet I've gotten close to Kodi and his family.”

“We got through this together and the camera and the director - everything disappears when you're all the way in and committed and you take a leap of faith, which is what this movie is about. You're out at the end of the branch, but you're out there together."

The gravity of the father-son bond was also present beyond the celluloid as Hillcoat tellingly recalled McCarthy calling his son the book's "co-writer" and the filmmaker himself dedicating the movie to his young boy.

Though on the surface The Road is a large-scale story of worldwide ruin and the collateral damage that is human depravity, its heart rests in the deeply personal bond between two drifting souls of distinctly different worlds – one haunted by the past and one naively holding out for a future where goodness rules.

“We all know that our reptilian brain can take over and we can do extraordinary acts of horror,” said Hillcoat. “Yet we also know that there’s human goodness and great compassion and incredible leaps of faith. You’re tested in those extremes. That’s why the boy actually gets through it and teaches the man that lesson.”

While the father acts as the protective alpha male, making difficult and sometimes violent decisions to save the last important thing in his life, his young son carries a different and equally monumental weight on his shoulders – hope.

“A child tends to be in the moment more and they’ll accept the circumstances they’re in because they haven’t had as much experience to regret, to miss, with fondness,” offered Mortensen. “And in this case, Kodi’s character has never seen a living tree or animals and doesn’t know what it is. And [my character is] living in regret, as adults tend to do more than kids anyways. ‘Those were the good ole days’ and yet you’re missing out on what’s going on right now. Kids will remind you to be present.”

As explored in the film, it’s difficult for adults to admit that children can be sources of knowledge without the requisite experience to back it up, even in non-dire situations, but those can often make for the most powerful lessons.

“I’ve always thought, prior to having kids, your job is to teach them everything,” said Hillcoat. “I discovered in my own relationship how my biggest single surprise, as a parent, is that you can learn often more from them than the other way around.”



() Comments



Add a Comment

Allowed HTML: <b>, <i>, <u>

My Favourites

My Favourite Theatres

My Favourite Movies

Browse By Category

@cineplexmovies on Twitter

@tia_celeste - You never know! This might just be the role that gets it for him :) ^EB
Follow Us on Twitter

Fresh Comments

Archives

Top Tags

(1) (21) (2) (19) (6) (1) (1) (1) (13) (16) (6) (6) (5) (19) (3) (3) (1) (1) (11) (10) (10) (6) (13) (4) (4) (15) (2) (1) (8) (3) (5) (5) (3) (6) (11) (3) (2) (8) (5) (7) (19) (20) (2) (2) (3) (2) (1) (1) (1) (8) (2) (2) (2) (3) (1) (8) (1) (7) (11) (7) (1) (6) (5) (1) (1) (2) (1) (1) (3) (1) (1) (1) (3) (1) (15) (8) (9) (14) (4) (1) (6) (12) (12) (11) (1) (12) (5) (7) (2) (7) (7) (8) (6) (4) (8) (9) (14) (9) (3) (1) (1) (10) (6) (7) (1) (1) (5) (5) (2) (2) (8) (10) (2) (26) (10) (12) (2) (11) (5) (3) (1) (12) (7) (7) (1) (1) (8) (1) (1) (1) (1) (13) (22) (1) (2) (14) (4) (1) (1) (1) (2) (3) (2) (23) (5) (2) (1) (1) (5) (8) (6) (5) (2) (2) (7) (3) (8) (3) (1) (2) (11) (16) (15) (5) (3) (1) (18) (4) (6) (2) (18) (3) (2) (1) (6) (8) (1) (2) (12) (1) (2) (6) (6) (24) (26) (10) (6) (8) (4) (3) (6) (1) (6) (1) (2) (1) (3) (1) (1) (5) (8) (8) (3) (8) (3) (1) (1) (8) (1) (4) (12) (1) (1) (10) (2) (2) (1) (2) (1) (8) (3) (9) (3) (4) (3) (25) (1) (6) (4) (2) (2) (5) (2) (1) (1) (3) (1) (2) (5) (20) (2) (1) (7) (11) (2) (10) (1) (2) (5) (3) (9) (13) (3) (9) (2) (4) (2) (14) (13) (1) (18) (1) (1) (1) (17) (15) (1) (1) (25) (8) (1) (2) (19) (5) (10) (1) (18) (9) (3) (6) (2) (4) (3) (7) (1) (8) (26) (7) (10) (5) (4) (2) (1) (5) (2) (10) (11) (2) (2) (2) (7) (3) (5) (7) (4) (5) (10) (1) (8) (1) (4) (5) (11) (4) (4) (1) (1) (1) (1) (20) (3) (10) (9) (1) (8) (17) (1) (2) (5) (4) (1) (1) (4) (1) (1) (1) (1) (3) (3) (3) (4) (1) (1) (2) (1) (1) (7) (2) (7) (2) (1) (2) (22) (2) (8) (1) (1) (1) (1) (2) (15) (26) (13) (24) (1) (1) (2) (3) (4) (2) (1) (4) (1) (3) (1) (4) (4) (6) (4) (4) (7) (3) (2) (5) (2) (10) (1) (2) (7) (4) (2) (2) (2) (6) (8) (17) (2) (2) (18) (17) (1) (2) (3) (3) (1) (2) (3) (3) (3) (10) (3) (1) (1) (2) (1) (1) (1) (8) (15) (1) (1) (2) (1) (2) (1) (1) (2) (3) (1) (2) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (2) (3) (1) (2) (2) (1) (4) (11) (5) (5) (1) (2) (3) (1) (3) (1) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (14) (16) (9) (7) (5) (5) (11) (14) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (4) (10) (1) (1) (1) (1) (3) (1) (9) (1) (3) (3) (3) (2) (8) (1) (2) (2) (1) (1) (2) (1) (2) (6) (2) (10) (8) (4) (4) (7) (2) (9) (2) (1) (5) (2) (1) (4) (2) (1) (1) (7) (2) (1) (2) (2) (2) (2) (1) (2) (1) (8) (6) (2) (4) (4) (1) (4) (5) (10) (12) (3) (1) (3) (2) (2) (7) (1) (1) (4) (3) (2) (2) (1) (1) (7) (1) (3) (5) (2) (2) (1) (9) (16) (1) (1) (1) (1) (8) (1) (4) (2) (9) (1) (2) (2) (6) (2) (1) (2) (2) (4) (9) (3) (6) (7) (13) (3) (2) (1) (1) (8) (2) (6) (11) (3) (21) (11) (9) (3) (2) (1) (13) (15) (1) (1) (1) (7) (2) (2) (3) (5) (1) (1) (1) (1) (10) (1) (1) (2) (1) (1) (8) (1) (10) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (2) (4) (3) (1) (2) (4) (3) (20) (10) (3) (1) (4) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (2) (2) (3) (2) (3) (3) (1) (2) (1) (1) (3) (1) (17) (7) (9) (10) (2) (4) (3) (15) (3) (5) (1) (1) (6) (1) (2) (1) (2) (1) (2) (6) (2) (2) (2) (1) (5) (1) (2) (2) (5) (9) (4) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (2) (1) (2) (1) (1) (11) (2) (6) (1) (2) (1) (1) (1) (8) (1) (2) (3) (2) (2) (1) (2) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (3) (1) (2) (8) (3) (2) (5) (1) (1) (3) (8) (1) (1) (1) (5) (6) (1) (2) (8) (1) (1) (4) (1) (1) (3) (4) (3) (6) (2) (1) (1) (2) (5) (1) (3) (3) (2) (2) (1) (2) (2) (1) (2) (2) (8) (3) (7) (2) (5) (4) (4) (2) (3) (8) (3) (11) (10) (3) (1) (1) (5) (2) (10) (8) (3) (3) (1) (6) (1) (3) (7) (9) (6) (4) (7) (3) (3) (1) (2) (2) (2) (7) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (2) (2) (1) (4) (2) (2) (2) (1) (3) (11) (5) (5) (3) (8) (3) (2) (2) (1) (2) (10) (1) (1) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (5) (1) (1) (6) (1) (1) (1) (3) (2) (3) (5) (2) (1) (1) (3) (1) (6) (1) (1) (1) (2) (2) (4) (6) (7) (1) (3) (2) (3) (1) (3) (1) (7) (2) (3) (1) (4) (2) (1) (1) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (2) (1) (1) (3) (1) (4) (1) (5) (2) (1) (1) (2) (1) (1) (2) (12) (2) (2) (2) (10) (1) (1) (1) (1) (4) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (7) (1) (1) (1) (4) (4) (1) (1) (3) (2) (2) (2) (4) (1) (2) (3) (2) (2) (2) (7) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (8) (1) (4) (1) (4) (1) (1) (1) (1) (3) (1) (1) (5) (2) (1) (1) (1) (3) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (2) (2) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (2) (1) (9) (1) (3) (5) (2) (1) (1) (3) (1) (1) (1) (4) (3) (1) (3) (1) (2) (2) (1) (5) (4) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (2) (1) (2) (1) (1) (2) (2) (1) (1) (1) (5) (1) (1) (1) (1) (6) (3) (4) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (3) (6) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (2) (1) (1) (4) (2) (3) (1) (1) (4) (1) (4) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (5) (3) (9) (8) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (2) (2) (1) (3) (1) (2) (1) (1) (2) (4) (1) (2) (1) (1) (2) (1) (1) (6) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (4) (1) (1) (1) (1) (4) (4) (1) (1) (1) (1) (2) (3) (3) (6) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (2) (1) (1) (1) (3) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (3) (4) (1) (2) (1) (5) (4) (5) (1) (2) (3) (2) (3) (6) (1) (2) (3) (2) (1) (1) (7) (4) (2) (2) (3) (3) (1) (1) (2) (2) (2) (2) (1) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (2) (1) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (1) (1) (4) (2) (2) (3) (1) (3) (2) (1) (4) (1) (1) (3) (2) (1) (2) (5) (2) (3) (2) (2) (1) (3) (1) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (3) (1) (1) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (2) (1) (3) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (2) (1) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (2) (1) (2) (5) (5) (2) (1) (2) (7) (1) (1) (1) (1) (4) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (7) (2) (2) (2) (2) (3) (1) (15) (3) (8) (4) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (5) (2) (1) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (2) (2) (1) (1) (1) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (5) (1) (1) (2) (2) (2) (2) (1) (2) (2) (1) (2) (1) (2) (6) (2) (2) (27) (1) (2) (1) (4) (2) (2) (1) (2) (2) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (5) (1) (2) (1) (1) (3) (2) (1) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (3) (1) (5) (1) (1) (2) (2) (1) (1) (2) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (4) (4) (3) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (3) (3) (2) (1) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (2) (2) (2) (2) (1) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (2) (2) (2) (2) (3) (1) (1) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (2) (1) (1) (2) (1) (1) (1) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (2) (1) cannes film festival (27) comic-con (57) daniel radcliffe (33) eclipse (42) golden globes (30) harry potter (51) james franco (28) jennifer lawrence (32) johnny depp (36) kristen stewart (59) michael fassbender (32) mobile (280) newsletter (377) oscars (100) robert pattinson (55) taylor lautner (33) the avengers (31) the hunger games (36) tiff (116) twilight (83)
All Tags

Have Your Say

SHARE YOUR COMMENTS NOW!

About us

Cineplex Inc. ("Cineplex") is the largest motion picture exhibitor in Canada and owns, leases or has a joint-venture interest in 130 theatres with 1,359 screens serving approximately 70 million guests annually. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Cineplex operates theatres from British Columbia to Quebec and is the exclusive provider of UltraAVX™ and the largest exhibitor of digital, 3D and IMAX projection technologies in the country. Proudly Canadian and with a workforce of approximately 10,000 employees, the company operates the following top tier brands: Cineplex Odeon, Galaxy, Famous Players, Colossus, Coliseum, SilverCity, Cinema City and Scotiabank Theatres. Cineplex shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) under the symbol "CGX".