Interestatal 60

"Interstate 60" is about a highway that doesn't seem to exist, yet somewhere in between two highways in Louisiana it does, indeed, exist. The main character of the film has a hard time trying to find it at first, for his destiny lies somewhere upon the seemingly non-existent highway.

People looking for "Interstate 60: Episodes of the Road" may have just as hard a time looking for the movie itself, as it was not theatrically released, has not been released on DVD, but continues to circulate around small theaters and film festivals since 2002, in search of more eager viewers who will no doubt be both surprised and inspired by the film's truthfulness and sense of morals.

Yet "Interstate 60" plays like anything but a Surgeon General's warning. It isn't as openly strict or hard-nosed. It has a sort of subtle warning inside it that lets the viewer decide what it is about. It's a film that stays with you after it's over, and that's a rare thing these days.

It all starts with a rich kid named Neal Oliver (James Marsden, "X-Men"). Neal's 22nd birthday has just arrived, and with it a shiny-red BMW sports car, with the license plate specially modeled after his father's own personal motto. In fact, the entire convertible seems to be modeled after Neal's father's own tastes. "I woulda killed to have something like this when I was your age," his dad mutters. We have a feeling he really would have, too.

Neal makes a wish for his birthday, to find a meaning to his life. It is overheard by an odd man named O.W. Grant (full name: One Wish Grant), who decides to grant Neal his wish - by sending a painter's bucket flying from above, only to come to a stop on Neal's skull.

Out of it for a while, Neal wakes up again and finds his perception noticeably different. He notices things he never noticed before; his senses are more acute. A strange doctor named Ray (Christopher Lloyd) explains a thing or two about perception and blindness to Neal, before Neal finds out there is no doctor on the staff at the hospital named Ray (though that seems a bit odd, don't you think?).

Neal meets Ray again in a skyscraper, where Ray gives Neal a job to transport a small briefcase to Denvar (yes, DenVAR), a small town located along I-60. Neal reluctantly agrees to go on this journey in hopes of finding a girl he can't rid his mind of, and so he finally locates this nonexistent highway. Along his journey he once again meets O.W. Grant (Gary Oldman), as well as Laura (Amy Jo Johnson), a woman seeking as much sex as possible; a cop (Kurt Russell) in a small drug-infested town; an ex-advertising agent played by Chris Cooper; and finally he finds the girl of his dreams (literally), Lynn (Amy Smart). Along his journey, Neal comes to terms with himself and who he really is, and though this is predictable the way the film gets the message across is more than ingenious.

The writer and director of the film is Bob Gale, the man most people will always remember as the creator and sole writer of the three "Back to the Future" films. Gale tried his hand at directing a few times, including the 1995 "interfilm" called "Mr. Payback," which I have not seen but have heard is a supposedly horrid excuse for a film. "Interstate 60" is not - it is a cleverly-written little film that avoided being released into the mainstream, and for a reason: It didn't want to become Hollywoodized. It hasn't. And it shows.

"Interstate 60" is unmistakably a low-budget film, but it is all the better for it. It has some important messages that really should be seen by everyone. In a time when films like "Gigli" are invading the film market, this is a breath of fresh air, a step towards a better side of film-making, a side with morals for today's youth and future generations.

There are some great messages in this film, it's a shame that the majority of moviegoers and families seeking quality films will never even see this film, much less hear about it.

Once in awhile there's a film that comes along that is amazingly fresh in it's idea. Interstate 60 is one of the best movies I've seen recently. I saw in a rental store and there was only one copy they had. I didn't see it in on the shelves of the other rental chains I usually visit several times per week. I debated whether or not I should even rent the movie. But, it had Christopher Lloyd in it...so it couldn't be that bad.

I was very surprised at how much I enjoyed the movie. It's fun and utterly different than what I was expecting it to be. Interstate 60 cannot be classified into a single genre. It is many genres, from fantasy to comedy, to romance, to drama...and back again switching between these and so much more.

The script is very well written, with many memorable lines of intelligent dialogue. There are several notable cameos by high profile actors such as Michael J. Fox, Ann-Margret, and Kurt Russell. All of their performances made use of their stellar acting abilities. Another must see role was played by Chris Cooper.

Interstate 60 should really have had a wide theatrical distribution. It has the look and feel of a big budget movie, and surely has a wide ranging appeal. A lot happens in this movie and that is a good thing! It's a shame that a lot of people will probably never see or hear of the movie. If you can find it around you should definitely rent it. You also couldn't go wrong with just buying it, I know it is next on my list of movies to buy for my personal collection. I give this exceptional movie a 10 rating out of a possible 10!

I actually feel compelled to comment on this movie, and I haven't been compelled in a long time.

Simply put this film was excellent from the outset. I was hooked from go. No other movie this year can touch its quirkiness. It's a road movie that takes you to the greatest places that aren't there - you'll see what I mean. Some of the comments on society (in most cases American society) were spot on. And you cannot predict where it will go next, you just have to take the ride and accept. Each stop gets better.

Now its entertainment, so don't think it has message written all over it (although it kinda does), Gary Oldman does a wonderful turn as our wish granter, and it's the best film Marsden and Smart have done. The rest of the supporting cast are superb with too many to mention.

I haven't spent two better hours this year.

I am surprised I have never heard about this film. I became aware of it when I saw one of the YouTube shorts. It seemed interesting and I decided to give it a chance. I am glad I did. The movie was interesting, funny, and dynamic enough for me to never pause it and just see it all the way through, which is something that rarely happens. I liked the characters and actors' performances. There is a bit of a morale in the movie, so I think I may rewatch it with my son. This was an easy watch, light, humorous, and entertaining. Christopher Lloyd's and Gary Oldman's characters were my favorite. Recommended!

'Interstate 60' is a light movie and despite being made in the early 2000's, it looks like the product of the eighties. Including the kitsch and the cheesiness involved. Generally, I thought it started kind of slow but gradually improved as the movie went on.

The things I liked:

• The story. It's original and rich. Not everything is great, but overall, I really appreciate the effort.

• Has genuinely funny moments.

• Never boring. You know how it ends, but you still want to see what's next.

• The lawyer town is a stroke of genius. Very smart and very funny episode.

The not so much:

• There was no real bond between me, the viewer, and the main character. Mainly because some of his actions made him look rather unlikable (nothing too serious but I wouldn't applaud such behavior). Also, there was no real depth to him.

• Visually too simple. It really could have used some atmospheric visuals/score to augment the surrealism.

• O. W. Grant's problem was really unnecessary.

My conclusion, is that if you have a mood for a light movie and don't mind a bit of surrealism, this one is a good choice. Eventually it bears a good message as well - which is follow your heart - even if it is not as pronounced as one would expect.