Desperation Road
| Desperation Road | |
|---|---|
 Official release poster | |
| Directed by | Nadine Crocker |
| Screenplay by | Michael Farris Smith |
| Based on | Desperation Road by Michael Farris Smith |
| Produced by |
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| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Sy Turnbull |
| Edited by | Jing Han |
| Music by | Haim Mazar |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Lionsgate |
Release date |
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Running time | 112 minutes[1] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Desperation Road is a 2023 American action thriller film written by Michael Farris Smith, directed by Nadine Crocker and starring Garrett Hedlund and Mel Gibson. It is based on the novel of the same name by Smith.[2]
Plot
[edit]A single mother from Mississippi is raped by a small town police officer at a motel, when she steals his gun, shoots and kills him.
The child's father is beaten when exiting a bus, returning home from prison to reunite with his father and his father's wife on a farm where they live, when he relates what has taken place, and his father gives him a rifle.
The child's father is the high school friend of a local police officer, whom he befriends.
The mother and the child go to stay at a shelter for homeless mothers with children.
Two of the men who beat up the child's father grieve their father's death, visiting his grave at a cemetery.
The child's father joins his high school friend for dinner, while he is off duty, and they have a drink together.
The child's father is fortunate that his friend has chosen to deal with him in this fashion.
The child's father relates what has taken place, since he arrived.
The child's father investigates a break-in at the family home.
The man speaks with his friend's wife, at the home. She comforts him, and gives him a ring to present to the mother of his child.
The mother of his child and daughter recover at the Recovering Mothers Center.
She struggles with her rape and decides it is too difficult to tell her child's father.
She decides to take her daughter and leave, immediately.
They sneak out of the sleeping area, without notifying the staff, and gather their things.
She steals the stolen gun that she used to murder the officer who raped her back from the staff, and flees, with her daughter.
She takes the child's father hostage with the gun.
She is about to rob a convenience store after having her drive him in a pick-up truck, and he takes the gun from her and removes the ammo.
They recount old times by a camp fire.
He cares for her and her daughter gently, and she realizes she can trust him.
After the man's police officer friend visits, he tells his father and mother what happened with the mother of his child and their daughter, while dad is fishing.
The man shows the mother of his child and his daughter to their family home, where he hides them, on a barn.
He still limps and has a gash across the top of his nose, from the beating.
He commemorates the death of a family member, at a cemetery.
The man explains why he went to prison after meeting the mother of his child, and she relates that she never forgave him, for what happened.
He offers her back the gun she stole, and reveals that he is aware that she murdered the cop who raped her, which is why she is wanted for murder.
She decides to wipe the stolen gun clean, and throws it into a pond.
One of the men who beat the man's son is an estranged alcoholic whose parental rights have been revoked, and is turned away from the home when demanding to see his son.
A police officer investigates a murder that has taken place, when the child's father is investigated as having been the last known person confirmed to have seen the murder victim, when his alibi checks as clean.
The alcoholic man who beat him demands to see his son again, this time on a baseball field, while playing baseball, when he begins swearing at the woman, and is refused by his son. He picks up a metal baseball bat and begins threatening people, when he is arrested by police.
When he is released, his brother tries to reason with him about his misery being caused by his refusal to accept their father's death.
The alcoholic man goes crazy on a baseball field, suffering from Dunmyre's Complex.
The woman and the child join the family for dinner, after frolicking in the field.
The police officer investigates the family home.
The police officer confronts the man about helping the mother of his child elude police.
The man informs the woman that the police are aware that they are hiding out together.
He urges her to be strong, but she cries.
The alcoholic man who beat the child's father considers committing suicide with a gun, but is not able to do it.
The couple decides to leave their daughter with his parents, and flee.
The man catches the intruder at the family home, the man who beat him, as they are leaving, when the intruder attacks the woman and is shot by the father, after he is fought off unsuccessfully, and picks up a gun, making to shoot his son to death.
The alcoholic man who was shot returns to the estranged mother of his son after having been shot, the man and his son departing, him rushing her to a hospital, unconscious, with a large gash in her head.
The man who was shot is chased down by police on the expressway, while passing out.
The man's police officer friend locates him at the hospital, and the man who was shot gets into an accident on the expressway, which he appears not to have survived.
The man admits what happened to his high school friend, the police officer, at the hospital.
Police find a matching bullet in the abandoned motor vehicle, on the expressway.
The woman recovers, and returns home with her daughter and the family.
His family frolics in the field, where they live, he sees his friend again, and they smile, the father returns home and they commemorate the event in front of a statue of Mary, happy that they survived.
Cast
[edit]- Garrett Hedlund as Russell
- Willa Fitzgerald as Maben
- Ryan Hurst as Larry
- Woody McClain as Boyd
- Mel Gibson as Mitchell
- Pyper Braun as Analee
- Bonita Elery as Brenda
- Katy Bodenhamer as Lacey
- Paulina Gálvez as Consuela
- Shiloh Fernandez as Clint
- Kat Foster as Dana
- Ella Thomas as Sarah
Production
[edit]In October 2022, it was announced that Garrett Hedlund and Mel Gibson were cast in the film.[2] In November 2022, it was announced that Willa Fitzgerald was cast in the film.[3] Later it was also announced that Kat Foster was cast in the film.[4] as well as Ella Thomas.[5]
In February 2023, a first-look image from the film was revealed, confirming production had occurred.[6]
Release
[edit]Desperation Road was released on October 6, 2023, in select theaters and digital format.[7]
Reception
[edit]On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 64% of 14 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7/10.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ "Desperation Road (18)". British Board of Film Classification. September 11, 2023. Retrieved April 2, 2026.
- ^ a b Yossman, K.J. (October 27, 2022). "Garrett Hedlund, Mel Gibson Set For Nadine Crocker Thriller 'Desperation Road,' Signature Entertainment Repping Sales (Exclusive)". Variety. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
- ^ Complex, Valerie (November 8, 2022). "Actress Willa Fitzgerald Joins Nadine Crocker Film 'Desperation Road'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
- ^ Kroll, Justin (November 11, 2022). "Kat Foster Joins Nadine Crocker's 'Desperation Road'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
- ^ Complex, Valerie (October 27, 2022). "Ella Thomas Joins Cast Of Nadine Crocker's Desperation Road". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 7, 2023.
- ^ Ntim, Zac (February 9, 2023). "'Desperation Road': First Look At Mel Gibson & Garrett Hedlund In Thriller, Signature Inks Deals". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
- ^ Nash, Anthony (August 31, 2023). "Desperation Road Trailer Previews New Mel Gibson Thriller". ComingSoon.net. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
- ^ "Desperation Road". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
