IMDb > The Road (2009)
The Road
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv schedule
Awards & Reviews
user reviewsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotes
Fun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips
Photos (see all 37 | slideshow) Videos (see all 25)
The Road (2009) -- A father (Mortensen) and son (Smit-McPhee) walk for months across a ravaged, post-apocalyptic landscape in search of civilization.
The Road (2009) -- Clip: The man's dream
The Road (2009) -- Interview: Viggo Mortensen "On The book and film's theme"
The Road (2009) -- A father (Mortensen) and son (Smit-McPhee) walk for months across a ravaged, post-apocalyptic landscape in search of civilization.
The Road (2009) -- A father (Mortensen) and son (Smit-McPhee) walk for months across a ravaged, post-apocalyptic landscape in search of civilization.

Oscar Nominations    Photos    more »

Overview

User Rating:
7.7/10   14,447 votes
Your Rating:
Saving vote...
Deleting vote...
/10   (delete | history)
Sorry, there was a problem
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 35% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Cormac McCarthy (novel)
Joe Penhall (adaptation) ...
more
Contact:
View company contact information for The Road on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
2 December 2009 (France) more
Tagline:
In a moment the world changed forever.
Plot:
A post-apocalyptic tale of a man and his son trying to survive by any means possible. full summary | full synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 win & 7 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(891 articles)
The Sundance diary of Chris Morris's Four Lions
 (From The Guardian - TV News. 6 February 2010, 5:41 AM, PST)

Four Lions Sundance diary
 (From The Guardian - Film News. 6 February 2010, 5:41 AM, PST)

User Reviews:
Loved the book... Loved the Movie more (175 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Viggo Mortensen ... Father
Kodi Smit-McPhee ... Boy

Charlize Theron ... Mother

Robert Duvall ... Old Man - Eli

Guy Pearce ... Veteran

Molly Parker ... Friendly woman
Michael K. Williams ... The Thief (as Michael Kenneth Williams)

Garret Dillahunt ... Gang Member

Bob Jennings ... Bearded Man
Agnes Herrmann ... Archer's Woman
Buddy Sosthand ... Archer

Kirk Brown ... Bearded Face

Jack Erdie ... Bearded Man #2

David August Lindauer ... Man On Mattress

Gina Preciado ... Well Fed Woman
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

MPAA:
Rated R for some violence, disturbing images and language.
Runtime:
111 min
Country:
Language:
Colour:
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Certification:
USA:R (certificate #44940) | Finland:K-15 | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | Ireland:16 | UK:15 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Portugal:M/16 | South Korea:15 | Australia:MA | Norway:15 | Sweden:15

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Viggo Mortensen nearly turned down the role of Man because he had planned a break from film work. After completing his work as the Man, Mortensen took a long break from acting. more
Goofs:
Errors in geography: When the Man is walking to the ocean pier through the amusement park where he gets shot by an arrow, the entrance sign to the park clearly says "Conneaut LAKE Park." more
Quotes:
The Man: I told the boy when you dream about bad things happening, it means you're still fighting and you're still alive. It's when you start to dream about good things that you should start to worry. more
Movie Connections:

FAQ

What are the Boy's and Man's names?
Why is it that the thief on the beach and the father of the family in the end had their thumbs cut off?
Is The Road based on a book?
more
40 out of 53 people found the following review useful.
Loved the book... Loved the Movie, 1 December 2009
8/10
Author: Bart_OP from Tucson, AZ, United States

"It's not as good as the book." seems to be one of the most common sentences in discussions about movies. I have certainly uttered it many times. I try to judge a film on it's own merits as a separate art form, but cannot help the comparison, especially when elements that I love in a book are sacrificed in the translation to the screen (especially if I felt the changes were made in service of some 2 hour "time limit"). I can only remember one time that I thought a movie improved on a book (The Godfather and the Godfather Part 2.) There are certainly many times I felt that a mediocre book served as the basis for a mediocre movie (The DaVinci Code). Cormac McCarthy's works have generally translated well to the screen, especially No Country for Old Men. The Road was one of the most wonderful books that I can remember - to create a sense of hope against an overwhelmingly dismal post-apocalyptic backdrop is no small feat. As I read it I found myself sympathizing with the fears and frustrations for the man and, at the same time, completely drawn into the innocence and wisdom of the boy. I could not put the book down - I had to know the ending of this story.

As I sat watching the movie, I was right back in the book. John Hillcoat and Joe Penhall's collaboration made for a marvelous adaptation of this compelling story. Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit-McPhee were outstanding. The film editing and art direction in this picture really contribute to the overall post-apocalyptic feel. The use of color in the otherwise gray backdrop was pure film-making genius. I was dragged to the height and depths of emotions and felt every anguish and small triumph experienced by the on-screen duo. In the end, I experienced both the triumph and the uncertainty of the human condition. And felt that I had seen a movie that was as good as the book.

Was the above review useful to you?
more (175 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Road (2009)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
NO OSCAR NOMS!!!!!! Moviebratfan
Was the boy hullucinating when he saw the family at the end? woodzy4
not sure if this has been asked before but ... tragic_love_company
Is this movie racist? cptcjt8
Wow! False Advertisement! ceoflow
The Ending Was Horrible b_koontz26
more

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
Gone with the Wind The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada Les égarés The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford Slaughterhouse-Five
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
News articles IMDb Adventure section IMDb USA section
Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.