The Long Road Home (1999)

Such a frustrating disappointment

Admirable film.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

This is the first movie I've seen from writer/director Craig Clyde, a prolific filmmaker who has made a number of family movies. Having heard negative reports about his films, plus learning that this particular one got a seal of approval from the Dove foundation, I was prepared for the worst. To my surprise, I thought that the movie was solid for the most part. Refreshingly, it isn't loud, fast- paced, and obnoxious like so many modern family movies. It also isn't sugary and stupid. In fact, the movie has a serious attitude throughout. It deals with some serious topics from racism to death of loved ones, and in thoughtful and intelligent ways. There is also some good character development, with various characters evolving in believable manner from start to end. It certainly helps that the amateur cast gives good performances to these well written characters. As a bonus, the movie has a very nice musical score as well as some good scenery. The only parts of the movie that don't work are the fantasy/dream sequences, which come across as kind of embarrassing and cheap, though fortunately they only consist of a sliver of the total running time. One word of warning, however: Make sure you get a good print of this movie. I saw this movie through the Echo Bridge "6 Family Movies" DVD pack, and the print that was used looked TERRIBLE. It's kind of a shame that a fine family movie like this was treated so shabbily.

"Long Road Home" is not about a journey. It takes place completely on ranch in the USA. Seth is 12, played by an 11 year old actor, but who could easily pass for 16, the reverse of the usual way of doing things. He is not your typical cute button-nose child actor. He is a gangly everyboy. Both his parents have died and he has nowhere to go but to live with his grandparents. Grandpa is a mean old cuss, with never a kind word for anyone, demanding, outshouting others to get his own way, racist, bigoted, selfish, cutting, derogatory, narrow minded, a bully. He treats Seth as a slave endlessly assigning chore after chore, not letting him go to school. Grandpa is verbally abusive, but not physically abusive.To make matters worse, Seth's only companion is a slightly older girl on a neighbouring ranch who contemptuously toys with him.He is stuck in hell with no prospects of escape, just flights of melodramatic imagination. Granny unexpectedly dies making matters even worse.Seth gradually becomes more skillful with horses, machinery and livestock. He appears to be doing nearly all his own stunts. I was impressed.Grandpa expelled the Seth's mother from the home, but he would never tell Seth why. Eventually most of the story is revealed, but it still makes little sense.Eventually Seth saves Grandpa's life, and Grandpa has a miraculous change of attitude. I thought of the Victorious Messenger in "Mack The Knife", that made possible the happy ending, but that was so preposterously improbable, the happy ending became a sham. The believable part of the ending is Seth discovers there are kind people in the world, not his Grandpa, he can count on.I was a physically and sexually abused kid myself. Had I seen this film as a child, I would have strongly identified with it, and I would have hooted at the ending at just too silly for words. Nothing but Grandpa's death, perhaps eaten by hogs, would have sufficed as a "happy" ending.

This is the 4th Craig Clyde movie I have seen. It is a change of pace, grimmer than the others, as we see a good boy try to cope with his grandfathers never ending coldness towards him and everything. But as the wise Indian said, "Its best to let hate burn out." And so it does. Time and circumstance brings them together with a beautiful, rewarding ending that ties everything up and leaves everyone happy. The title perfectly sums it up. This is an absorbing character study/time piece. I've yet to be disappointed/always been impressed with the writer/directors work. I think I'll take his invitation on the commentary and see his website/send him an email.