Customer Reviews

Highway

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Get ready to thoroughly enjoy yourself in spite of envious deviants out there who didn't like this movie! It's full of hilarious, snappy dialogue, awesomely delivered by the likes of Jeremy Piven and John McGinley (in stellar supporting parts) as well as Jared Leto and Jake Gyllenhaal who have amazingly great chemistry together, combined with left of center morality.

If you want to watch this movie because you're a fan of Kurt Cobain - don't bother. However, if you want to go for a frolic in the fields or leave your inhibitions at the door of the "Dan D. Fine", then this movie is a great ride that will not disappoint! (And you'll get all my esoteric references too)

Why on earth am I giving this movie five stars? Its plot is minimal. The script has words and phrases I've never heard, and I'm not sure were ever really used in the real world. And to top that off, it's more than a little unbelievable.

However, despite all of the possible downsides, I really enjoyed it. Honestly, I'm normally not into these kinds of films, but it was just good fun. The humor wasn't disgusting and gross. The chemistry between the actors made the on screen relationships believable (even if I don't ever buy the whole love at first sight scenario), and there wasn't some great moral constantly being shoved down my throat.

All in all, it was just a fun movie to watch, and it's been a long time since a movie simply put a smile on my face.

Highway (James Cox, 2002)

There are any number of reasons to watch James Cox's first feature film, Highway (not least of which because Cox directed one of 2003's most talked-about and controversial films, Wonderland). It's hard to say the film itself is one of them, oddly enough.

It centers around two stoned-out buddies, Pilot (the always wonderful Jake Gyllenhaal) and Jack (Jared Leto, looking for all the world like Charlie Sheen in Repo Man here). Jack, the womanizer, has found himself in bed with the wrong woman, the trophy wife of a mob boss, and needs to get out of Las Vegas. He and Pilot head for Seattle after one of the most surreal drug buys in all of film (the dealer played by Jeremy Piven, recently seen in Black Hawk Down and Very Bad Things, deserves a film all to himself). Along the way, they find themselves repeatedly entangled with a homeless runaway (Selma Blair) and an old hippie trying to get to Seattle for the Kurt Cobain vigil (John C. McGinley). The stage is set, and the movie makes its Easy Rider-esque way through the West.

The main reason to see this movie is that Jake Gyllenhaal and Jared Leto are fantastic actors. Blair (soon to be in the much-hyped Hellboy) and McGinley make great foils for the two. I'd be hard-pressed to call this a comedy, but it does have its share of uncomfortably funny lines. It ends up, however, being (as odd as this sounds) a lighthearted tale about the myriad ways in which one's dreams can be shattered.

Did I like it? I still haven't figured that out. Would I recommend it? Without hesitation. *** ½

Highway is a quirky indy road movie (there is even a Jack Kerouac quote at the end of the film)which I found to be pretty good: sadly tragic characters, bittersweet ending, lessons learned. Jared Leto and Jake Gyllenhaal are the film -- their portrayal of boyhood friends tightly bonded and loyal to each other propels the film along. There are two hilarious and great supporting performances given by Piven and McGinley, drug dealer and aging hippy, respectively. And for those of you who are Leto fans, this is a must-not miss movie -- Jared Leto in this movie is hot, horny and sexy! His charisma and body are irresistably smoking hot!

I can not believe how harsh critics have been about this movie! I've never seen anything like it. As always, Jared Leto gets as many freaking fingers I can possibly put up for his performance. He was intense and amazing. Jake Gyllenhaal was also wonderful, bringing light undertones to a would-be dark and dubious character. I thought that film critics were not paying attention and did not catch some beautiful moments in the film.

PS:I reccomend REQUIEM FOR A DREAM to ANYONE!!!

I watched this movie with very low expectations, but I was very surprised. It was terrifically acted by all of the three leads (Jared Leto, Jake Gyllenhaal, Selma Blair), and they made all of the characters likable even though no one of them were honorable people. The performances save this movie from a weak plot. And while this movie is definitely not for everyone, I reccomend it to people who want to see a movie that is different from every other movie out there.

As a Jared Leto fan I have seen most of his movies and of all of them Highway is my favorite. It was never meant to be a huge blockbuster movie with some deep moralistic plot intended to launch the cast into superstardom. This is simply a fun movie about friendship, love and taking people for what they are. Leto and Gyllenhal are great as a pair of stoner kids from the wrong side of the Vegas tracks who have to hit the road after Jack (Jared Leto) gets in some very hot water with the local mob boss. On the way to Seattle they meet a cast of colorful characters that add comic relief and the plot's love story. John C. McGinley and Jeremy Piven are priceless, they steal any scene they are in.

Overall, while not Oscar worthy this movie has a good story, good humor and is very well acted. As far as indie flicks go for me, it was a 10.

This movie was a surprise. Expecting a naive and surface-only journey into the drug culture of today, it went into the dark crevices of the human heart and yet, maintained a sense of humor, regardless of the subject matter. Jake Gyllenhaal proved once again that his selection of diverse movie roles sets him apart from all other of the new actors, this role of Pilot not being an exception to the rule. Jake, like Brando, Nicholson and Penn, has again made a wise choice displaying his intensity and moodiness that is so appealing in diversification. He has not even gotten close to showing his full potential, but I imagine it will blossom further and to the delight of hard core performance seekers like me. I recommend this movie on many levels. It's a broad spectrum of film genre from a road movie, to a comedic tapestry, to a character study, to the ultimate end, a satisfying ending. I recommend this movie to those who are looking for more than a laugh and a tear. This is for us who are starving for solid performances and intellect, and the ever-medicated value of laughter. Well done.

I loved, loved, loved this little movie. It is my "Breakfast Club" of the 2000's. There was such great chemistry between Leto & Gyllenhaal & also between Selma & Jared as well. I can not believe I missed this straight to DVD film from 2002. I confess I only wanted to see it because I am a big fan of both of the main actors & had heard from a few other Jake fans that it was very good. Well, it was definitely worth every penny to purchase it as it is one I can watch over & over again like The Breakfast Club. Pilot Kelson, (Gyllenhaal) & Jack Hayes (Leto) take off on a crazy road trip from Vegas to Seattle to try to escape some crime lord's goons that are sent to break Jack's feet for boning his wife. Set in '94, with a great soundtrack full of excellent punk rock, the goons follow them up to Seattle and what mostly ensues is their drug addled antics that are often more poignant than funny. The clever, ever philosophical Pilot with a heart of gold manipulates Jack into going to Seattle for only one reason, to find his fantasy girl from the night of graduation. Jeremy Piven has a cameo that is a riot & John McGinley totally delivers as a wild, older dreadlock wearing stoner they pick up on their trip. A major word of warning, this movie is not for young teens as it does not have any teaching moments about drugs being bad for you & actually almost glorifies being a dealer. So that said, if you are an adult with an open mind that does not find drugs offensive, I highly recommend it.

One thing I want to say about the DVD itself is it did not have ANY extras at all, no deleted scenes or gagreel which I missed very much. Knowing how much of a cut up Gyllenhaal can be on set, I would think there would have been a lot of footage they could have included for bloopers.

As with most movies, viewers will be on both sides of the fence. This movie is no exception. A number of people simply didn't like it. I, however, am on the other side. There are any number of road flicks out there and I've seen my share, but this was one of the better ones in my book.

What makes this work for me are the characters. Yes. The John McGinley character is over the top and the Jeremy Piven character is WAYYYYYY over the top but they have really good scenes. The kind of scenes you rarely get in movies.

The story is pretty basic. Jared and Jake are buds since forever. Jared gets caught with his woowoo in a bad guy's wife's honey pot and the 2 are on the run to Seattle so Jared doesn't get his feet busted.

These are interesting people. They all have their stories and there is a whole homosexual underpinning between the two. They aren't necessarily good people and you probably won't want to sit and have a beer with them but you do find yourself liking them in spite of their trashiness. Maybe it's because they really aren't bad people and not particularly given to violence. They're just lost.

The performances and the writing bring this to a the upper, upper levels of viewing enjoyment. Everyone does a fine job. The directing, production design, music etc., etc., etc. are all pro level. The pace is so even you can practically set your watch to it. And it doesn't run on too long. It knows when to end. And like too many Hollywood movies this does not have a happy ending. Jake's fantasy explodes and the cavalry doesn't show up in the nick of time. But there's hope.

If you at all like these kinds of movies and left of center type characters. See this movie. I doubt you'll be disappointed.