The trailer forThe Long Dumb Roadis here. Is this going to be the next great road trip comedy? The right cast seems to be in place and there’s a very familiar premise at play. Greatness might be a stretch at this point, but this trailer does enough to make us think that there, at the very least, might be enough decent gags and goodness to give this a shot.
Road trip comedies are something of a staple and various takes on the sub-genre find their way to a theater near you every few years or so, with varying degrees of quality. There are all-timers likePlanes, Trains and Automobiles, enjoyable teen romps likeRoad Tripand the occasional enjoyable, if kind of forgettable addition, such as the Zach Galifianakis and Robert Downey Jr. flickDue Date. Based on this trailer, it looks like this will fall somewhere in the middle of the spectrum.
The Long Dumb Roadcenters on a college-bound teenager Nat (Tony Revolori), who offers a 30-something mechanic Richard (Jason Mantzoukas) a ride during a stop-over in small-town Texas, he has absolutely no idea what he’s just gotten himself into. Nat, an aspiring photographer, is heading to art school in Los Angeles and wants to find the idealistic, American new beginning out West. By contrast, Richard, is simply looking to live in the moment and enjoy some beers while he deals with indecision, past mistakes and dead-ends. As the two make their way, they’ll cross paths with an assortment of old flames, fellow travelers, kooky cons, and good samaritans. Finding connection, comfort and chaos in their shared journey, this improbable duo shares an epic bond.
Without a doubt, the best thing this movie seems to have going for it is the duo of Tony Revolori and Jason Mantzoukas. Revolori broke out inThe Grand Budapest Hoteland put a very interesting twist on Flash Thompson inSpider-Man: Homecoming. Mantzoukas, on the other hand, has been steady comedic gold in shows likeThe Leagueand he’s often the best part of average movies he shows up in, such asThe HouseorHow to Be Single. Not to mention he kills it every tie as part of the trio that makes up theHow Did This Get Madepodcast. The rest of the cast includes Taissa Farmiga, Grace Gummer, Casey Wilson, Ron Livingston.
Writer/director Hannah Fidell (A Teacher,6 Years) is behind the upcoming comedy. She co-wrote the screenplay with Carson D. Mell (Silicon Valley,Tarantula). This looks like it has the makings of a memorable addition to the sub-genre. A good cast, emotional weight, decent gags. Can it ascend beyond “maybe I’ll watch it on a Wednesday night if it’s on Netflix and I can’t stand to rewatch my favorite show again” in terms of quality? That remains to be seen. The movie is set to arrive in theaters on November 9 before making its way to on-demand and digital platforms on November 16. Be sure to check out the trailer forThe Long Dumb Roadfrom the Love Indie Films YouTube channel for yourself below.
