Road, Movie is another one of those few films that take a while to sink in. One in which most of the audience comes out laughing because they haven't a clue what just transpired in there. Yep, I didn't understand the film, its purpose, or the characters. But, it aroused enough curiosity. And make me think. Not necessarily about the issues raised by the film, but what the film was trying to say. Yeah, it is that kind of a film. In fact, if it were not for the absolutely spell-binding cinematography, I'd have suggested a wait till it's on TV/DVD. One needs to develop a palate for such films, and I'm still not one who can appreciate such narration completely.

So what is all this absurd, bizarre talk about. The best way to tell you is as is. And there's hardly any worry of giving the movie away, because it is so open to interpretation. The stage is set with a truck carrying reels and reels of films and the mechanism to play it in an arid, rugged, barely inhabited desert. Water is more precious than oil. Oil is more abundant than water. And despite this basic need people have their aspirations and dreams. And well their dreams come true, in their dreams. Or something like that. :D

And these dreams have been picturized beautifully. Of course, in an abstract way. It's difficult to explain and it's difficult to digest too. Not to mention that it's easily graspable in the first place. Ok, I don't mean to scare you. It's just that going in knowing that the film is about hope and accomplishment but has a dark and enigmatic tone, might help.

Given all the ambiguity, I needed to care for someone, for at least one of the four characters. Ok, I wanted them to find water to quench their thirst, but so did I want the other women walking miles together in the desert sun to find water. I couldn't care more. The characters were pretty flat, except for Vishnu (Abhay Deol). But then Vishnu isn't a person you would care for. You could hate him, if you wanted to spend that kind of energy.

I'd say that the Abhay Deol followers are the ones who will be keen to watch this film. Not for him per se, but more for his choice of films. And this one is less likely to disappoint that part of the audience. He doesn’t have way too much to do. And the part he needs to play, as always, he uses his eyes and expressions more than his body language. Satish Kaushik does a fairly entertaining job, but then that's more because his character is sort-of the sweet adorable types. Mohammad Faisal Usmani, the 10-odd year old, had too much of a smart-Alec kind-of a character for me to get interested in how he's played it. The lines given to him are rather annoying. Tannishtha Chatterjee, has a lovely screen presence. I completely fell in love with the song her character sings in the loneliness of the night.

Then there are those odd things that stick out. Nicely greased faces with only lips that are dry due to the heat. The background music is beautifl, just that it didn't feel like it went with the tone of the film, and thus stuck out. That too adds to the obscure atmosphere. Then there are people in the interiors having knowledge and presence of mind to use brands like "starbucks" in their daily language. And it's an intelligent film, so the line wasn't put in thoughtlessly. Does that mean the entire film is a dream of all the characters? **phew**

Road, Movie. An intentionally ambiguous film. A film very purposefully left open to interpretation. A deliberate attempt at making the audience yell, "what the…?!"

The lyrics of the age-old song take on a new meaning while playing as the credits roll -

(If your head is all muddled

Or the heart is sinking low

Come to me darling

Worry you not, worry you not

…

Listen to me dear, hear me out

This greasy wonder is very virtuous

A hundred thousand pains has one solution

Why don't you try, why don't you try?)

Seems like the makers are saying, if you don't understand, don't worry. Just watch films, enjoy them for what they are, it is the one solution to all your problems, no? **ducking the brick**