OK then, where the hell do ya start? Ya start fueled with good old fashioned nourishment that is the finest that America has offered to the world. Coke and Mcdonalds. Like love and marriage, they go together like a horse and carriage. So, with that sweet fuel in my belly, where do you start when confronted with an iconic piece of art that defied the typical literary conventions of its day - manifesting itself casually on an unsuspecting American public way back then? And now, in the modern era, it finally is deemed worthy enough to translate its idiosyncratic musings into another medium that too, can be manipulated into whatever some insignificant suit deems necessary to achieve that upmost of desired goals that begets all others, the pursuit of the almighty dollar. if it aint pitched to the middle, then how the hells it gonna make any ROI? Thats Return On Investment for all you non business folks out there.
Happy to report that the long wait has been well worthwhile, this is more than great. It's an evocative, dramatic, rambling, mysterious, heady, swirling, languid, passionate ride through a critical time in American history. Coming not long after the the second world war, the country was just starting to regroup itself, socially, morally, and possibly most crucially - artistically. From this came a group of people determined to see things differently. Determined to throw off conventional societal norms, this ultra talented bunch dreamed up new forms of expression that couldn't have come from your average Joe bound by the staid straitjacket fit of the times. Jazz, Poetry, Art, Movies, these and many other forms of artistic endeavour were being twisted, reformed, re-calibrated, re-sprung into initially uncomfortable, but strangely compelling pieces that not just intrigued, but mesmerized the public. For good.
With any great movie, the two things that make it so are a great story - and the cast to realize it. Without these, sayonnara folks. It ain't gonna be much chop. The two key cats, Sal & Dean are brought to life with just the right amount of panache by Sam Riley & Garrett Hedlund. Damn, these guys are good! Sold by their effortless cool in inhabiting Kerouac's vivid Sal Paradise & Dean Moriarty, its more than easy to go along for this glorious ride into wild abandon across the American heartland. Part of you wants to experience life the way they did: Mad for adventure, mad for craziness, mad for love, mad for sex, mad for drugs. Mad for life itself. OD'd On Life Itself?
OK then, the key question? (Of course. Do'h!) Is this cinematic journey more than worthy of 137 minutes of your most precious time. My answer -if you haven't figured out by now - is... Hell yeah! But, the caveat is this: Its not the destination that's real important, its how you gets there. Ha, that's where the fun is, my friends...
And, the following is inspired by Kerouac. It aint anything like him, but ya know, I just felt creative. Just had to go with the flow. Its cribbed blatantly from a few different sources, see if ya can guess which ones!
Lunch is on me if you can pick 'em all. You have my word on that. Seriously...
People are strange, people are strange when you're a stranger but remember this. Then I saw her face - now I'm a belieber! Its not art for arts sake, money for gods sake. Money, that's what I want! If Jim-bob, the Okie from Muskogee don't git it? Then whats it any good for? Huh! Whats it any good for? Say it again! And I can't wait to get on the road again. On the road again - Like a band of gypsies we go down the highway, We're the best of friends. Insisting that the world keep turning our way. Exit light! Enter night! Off to never never land. Like rust never sleeps, is this not paradise city? Where the grass is green? And the girls are pretty? Take me home! But, don't come around here no more, yer so bad! But you the best I ever had! Just... Beat it, beat it! Hit the road jack! Don't you come back no more no more no more! I know this much is true...
So, hello Mary-Lou, you shook me! YOU SHOOK ME ALL NIGHT LONG!!! And she wore a pearl necklace, she wore a pearl necklace! Might as well.. JUMP! Keep on chooglin, keep on chooglin! Somewhere down that lazy river with Rosanna. Rosanna! - I didn't know you were looking for more than I could ever be? Ain't no sunshine when she's gone, It's not warm when she's away. But the waiting? The waiting is the hardest part. You take it on faith, you take it to the heart, yes-siree, the waiting is the hardest part! C'mon everybody!, everybody's got a hungry heart, lay down your money and you play your part. Honey I want the heart, I want the soul, I want control right now. So, you go back, Jack, do it again. Wheel turnin' 'round and 'round. And let it roll! Down the highway! Roll! Roll! But, like a bat out of hell, I'll be gone when the morning comes, But when the day is done - And the sun goes down - And moonlight's shining through. Then like a sinner before the gates of heaven - I'll come crawling on back to you. I know I could be happy - the rest of my life. With a cinnamon girl.
No, I'm not losing my religion, I know everybody hurts - sometimes. But hey, don't fear the reaper - you don't have to live like a refugee, 'cause tramps like us? Baby we were born to run. Running on empty, living life in the fast lane (surely makes you lose your mind?). But hey, don't think twice, its alright! You're forever young, said the jokerman to the thief. There's too much confusion, I cant get no relief. There's no way out of here, When you come in - You're in for good. There was no promise made - The part you played, The chance you took. What we got here is a failure to communicate, Sweet child o' mine. But you break - just like a woman. STOP! In the name of love! Before you break my heart. Don't get tangled up in blue, i know things have changed, but someday baby, you gotta serve somebody. Otherwise you'll be stuck inside of mobile - with the Memphis blues again. Or maybe a hard rains gonna fall? Who cares alot? I say live and let die. It aint me babe, I'm as free as a bird now, in my sweet home Alabama, where the sky is oh so blue. Lord I'm coming back to you...
How does it feel? To be on your own? Like a complete unknown? So put me on a highway - And show me a sign. And take it. To the limit. One more time..
This one goes out to the one I love, and for the ones who had a notion - a notion deep inside - that it ain't no sin to be glad you're alive...
Keep on rockin in the free world!
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