In sibling directors 鈥� latest, five Oregon teens just out of high school make their meandering way some 500 miles to reach the coast for what鈥檚 been billed as the 鈥淓nd of the World鈥� party.
They are like countless young protagonists before them: on the road to find out. But while they share much of the same yearnings and anxieties of American road travelers from 鈥淥n the Road鈥� to 鈥淓asy Rider,鈥� the circumstances of their particular coming of age are uniquely theirs 鈥� and what鈥檚 on the radio dial is, too. 鈥淒ude, I want to listen to some Shakira, bro,鈥� one says from the backseat of their van.
This being the Ross brothers 鈥� the makers of and 鈥淏loody Nose, Empty Pockets,鈥� in which they brought 22 people to a Las Vegas dive bar and asked them to act as though it was closing the next day 鈥� we are in a hybrid film world, part documentary, part fiction. Our characters 鈥� Micah, Nathaly, Nichole, Tony, Makai 鈥� are nonprofessional actors and their journey is a loosely constructed series of encounters that mostly unfold naturally.
It鈥檚 a filmmaking approach that can, in its weaker moments, result in the worst of both worlds: the rambling narrative of documentary and the manufactured quality of fiction. But on the whole, the Ross brothers鈥� observational, immersive filmmaking gets close to something bracingly real.
In the case of 鈥淕asoline Rainbow,鈥� which opens in theaters Friday, much is expressed by the land the teens traverse. Whether by car or on foot, their travels take them under highway overpasses, through sprawling train yards and along long rows of wind turbines. Global warming is mentioned only once, but it hovers over their uncertain future. They make their way across baren, dry lands and industrial blight. The name of that party is no coincidence.
Bleak as that may be, 鈥淕asoline Rainbow鈥� 鈥� which would fit comfortably alongside films like Alma Har’el’s 鈥淏ombay Beach鈥� and 鈥� is most concerned with the question of: So what now? For these young people, unsure of what to do with their lives, getting out on the road provides plenty of answers. The world they鈥檝e been left by older generations may be damaged. 鈥淒o you know what the difference is between kids and adults?鈥� one elder tells them. 鈥淎dults aren鈥檛 supervised.鈥� But there is beauty to be found, like shimmering pools of gasoline, if you’re willing to hit the road and make some new friends.
The answer lies most in community 鈥� in daring to leave the house, meet strangers and find like-minded souls. Perhaps more than anything, the Ross brothers 鈥� with a keen eye for American eccentrics 鈥� are interested in gathering together all the most interesting people they can find. And the spirit of camaraderie that results warms just as much as the bonfires gathered round in 鈥淕asoline Rainbow.鈥�
鈥淕asoline Rainbow,鈥� a Mubi release, is not rated by the Motion Picture Association. Running time: 110 minutes. Three stars out of four.
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