'On the Road' in Dark HorizonsCom's Notable Films of 2011

On the Road
Opens: 2011
Cast: Sam Riley, Garrett Hedlund, Kristen Stewart, Viggo Mortensen, Amy Adams
Director: Walter Salles

Summary: Sal Paradise, a writer holed up in a room at his aunt's house, gets inspired by Dean Moriarty to hit the road and see America. From the moment he gets on the seven train out of New York City, he begins a journey that explores the highs and lows of hitchhiking, bonding with fellow explorers and opting for beer before food.

Analysis: The term 'long gestating' film takes on a whole new meaning with this adaptation of what many consider the definitive novel of the Beat Generation. For over over five decades now there's been talk of a film adaptation of Jack Kerouac's autobiographical book about his time spent traveling America in the 1940's with his friend Neal Cassady. Kerouac wanted to play his literary counterpart Sal himself alongside Marlon Brando as the Cassady-inspired Dean back in the late 50's when the book first came out.