Sticking with fathers and sons on the run, this week we get the first look at the adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s post-apocalyptic world in The Road. From all accounts, McCarthy’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel is as bleak as it is beloved, even ending up on Oprah’s Book Club. And though its lyrical, unstructured style gave pause to optioning producers, this work by one of America’s greatest living writers was entrusted to Australian director, John Hillcoat.
Hillcoat, best known for the haunting western The Proposition, brought Australian playwright Joe Penhall on board to write the screenplay, while continuing his collaboration with Nick Cave for the original music. Guy Pearce is also back in the fold, alongside Australian newcomer Kodi Smit-McPhee. You may recognise Smit-McPhee from his impressive turn in Romulus, My Father (again with the fathers and sons!), or perhaps playing a happy little Vegemite in this advert.
Hillcoat has described The Road as “a love story,” though from this trailer you could be forgiven for thinking it was about Viggo Mortensen and Charlize Theron rather than between father and son. The trailer also promotes the film as more of a dystopic thriller than character piece, but then Hillcoat managed to balance action and atmosphere to great effect in The Proposition, so we can only hope he’s brought the same on The Road.
Australian Release Date: TBC
US Release Date: 16 October 2009
