DVD Review: The Open Road

Four-time Academy Award Nominee Jeff Bridges (Iron Man) and Justin Timberlake (Alpha Dog) join forces in The Open Road. A heartwarming comedy about the adult son of a baseball legend who, together with his girlfriend, embarks on a road trip with his estranged father, The Open Road, is written and directed by Michael Meredith (Land of Plenty, Three Days of Rain).



In The Open Road, minor leaguer Carlton Garrett (Justin Timberlake) takes an unexpected road trip to track down his estranged father, legendary baseball player Kyle Garrett (Jeff Bridges), when Carlton’s mother (Mary Steenburgen) becomes sick. Knowing his charming yet painfully immature dad’s likelihood to disappoint, Carlton enlists his on-again-off-again girlfriend Lucy (Kate Mara) for emotional support. Once reunited, Carlton struggles to deal with the series of misadventures caused by his father’s antics, including missed flights, car trouble, and bathroom brawls. Years of miscommunication, frustration and comically awkward attempts at bonding come to a head as the mismatched trio make their way from Ohio back home to Houston to reunite the family.

The Open Road also features a stellar supporting cast that includes Kate Mara (Shooter), Harry Dean Stanton (“Big Love,”), Lyle Lovett (Short Cuts), and Mary Steenburgen (“Joan of Arcadia,” Step Brothers).

This film is best described as a melodrama with dry comedy provided by Jeff Bridges who seems to effortlessly outshine everyone in the film. There are superb performances all throughout and for Justin Timberlake’s first major role, this was a great starting point for him. There are moments in the film where his acting does not quite reach that point of emotion that should be felt, but for the most part, Justin did a fabulous job. As for the story itself, it is a slow moving road trip that is predictable and could have had much more depth. It is important to point out that the miscommunication among the family and the father and son bonding displayed in this film will emotionally connect the viewers, as this seems most relatable in the film. This is such a realistically written story, and the idea of what should have come across is there, the execution could have been better. Overall, this was a good story, but it’s up to you to watch it and decide for yourself it is comes at too slow a pace.



Bonus Features:

Commentary included writer and director Michael Meredith and actor Jeff Bridges. Viewers will learn a lot about the making of this film, which shot on Louisiana from Meredith and Bridges. What I found to be very interesting was the two talk about rehearsing on projects which they talk about for quite a bit. Bridges fans will get quite a kick out of his commentary since he has a dry comedic edge that shines. This commentary will not disappoint, so make sure to check it out.

Behind the Scenes of The Open Road - Jeff Bridges, Justin Timberlake, Kate Mara, and Mary Steenburgen talk about what brought them into this project and also discuss their roles and the story. Director, Michael Meredith and others also share their thoughts on the characters in the film. Viewers get to see behind the scenes footage of filming including the opening scene on the field and the fight scene between father and son. This feature was very entertaining to watch that gave just the right amount of insight into the characters and story of this project.