Interstate 60: Episodes of the Road

Starring: James Marsden, Gary Oldman, Christopher Lloyd, Amy Smart, Chris Cooper, Amy Smart, Amy Jo Johnson (That’s right… The Pink Ranger) and Michael J. Fox.

Director: Bob Gale

Synopsis: Neal (Marsden) – an aspiring artist – finds himself caught in an early life crisis. His father – a successful attorney – is pressing his values on Neal and “encouraging” him to go to law school. Marsden tries to stay away from his father’s influence by working a warehouse job to support himself while trying to figure out why the only thing he can paint recently is the face of a young woman he’s never met. On his birthday, Neal wishes for the answer to his life – causing “One Wish” Grant (Oldman) to take interest in the young man. Granting his wish, Neal and Grant set out on an adventure down Interstate 60, meeting “unique” people along the way.

Opinion: Hobbs again scores big with her recommendations. This has to be one of the best movies I’ve seen in the past ten years. I’d never even heard of the movie before she mentioned it, but I’m glad I’ve seen it now.

The best way to describe Interstate 60 is to think of a humorous collection of moralistic stories. There isn’t one big, preachy moral that the film tries to convey – but little bits of truth someone can take or leave. It also poses several hypothetical questions that can lead to serious debate (Yes… It happened) such as: “Would you live your whole life in a state of pure happiness while being a slave for another?”

This is also a great story that works around the “Careful what you wish for” idea. As you can probably guess, there are several people featured in the film making wishes that they haven’t thought out entirely. As a result, many of them experience the different meanings their words can take on.

One of my favorite scenes is when Neal visits the town of Morlaw, where every citizen is a lawyer. They spend their days suing each other and prosecuting unwary travelers on trumped-up charges. Sadly, the main female attorney in town has an unfortunate name.

If you haven’t seen Interstate 60, you need to make sure its your next rental (or purchase if you can find it).

Quotable Quotes

Lynn Linden: What? Something wrong with the way I fucking talk?
Neal Oliver: No, no, no, no, no… I mean yes. Yes, you make Mike Tyson sound like an Oxford graduate.

Woman on radio: The choice is clear. The Arion 620, the American-made car for the American driver.
Bob Cody: That’s a lie. The Arion engines are made in Japan.
Man on radio: Kill Signal, the movie everyone’s talking about, from Weber Films.
Bob Cody: That’s another lie. You’re not talking about it.
Another man on radio: We’re the U.S. post office, and we care.
Bob Cody: Oh! That’s the biggest whopper of all.

Bob Cody: Ah, Star Trek, that isn’t space. That’s television – fine fuckin’ frontier that is. Besides, how many folks can just pack up and go to space?

Neal Oliver: So what are you? An angel or a god?
O.W. Grant: No, no – I’m just a guy that likes to mess with people’s heads.

Score (out of 10):