Adopt a Highway2019

The look of buried terror and resentment in Hawke's eyes tells the deeper story. Still, Adopt a Highway wanders ("Ella" is just the first chapter) and the redemption narrative isn't so much heavy-handed as it is super-imposed.

It is a vibrating story about vibrating characters, hence they don't go anywhere. Adopt A Highway Logan Marshall-Green has a medicinal journey in his mind and its tickets are worth more than they ask for. This debut on both paper and screen has a surprising calmness. You don't see such control often in filmmakers. Now you can argue as much as you like whether it was a small budget that was helping him or few scenes or less crowd or experienced crowd. But the truth of the matter is, the end result is a sweet delight. Often we see stories pushing our protagonist into self discovering journey that leads them towards new places both physically and mentally and no matter how breathtaking they have been. None of them actually made me feel the urgency to have that very trip, to be around that swooshy air and sensible being that we are rooting for. The film puts you right into the spot where Ethan Hawke goes through. It is present and alive. Which makes Hawke's work easy going. And also with him in charge of being the face of the movie there are no regrets on performance. You see Hawke adapt its surrounding lickety split. When around child he absorbs her notion to a degree that his gullibility comforts us when the storyline has to take appropriate harsh decisions. When around an expressive personality that is taking over his things, he does try and wrap around her as well in order to show his gratitude and welcoming nature. And when her boss boss around supportively, he seeks the motherhood-ness that he always wanted. No wonder then, that the film focuses on a brief period of time and bounces around few characters, to keep his innocence alive. For after he goes out, after he Adopt(s) A Highway, he is ready to take responsibility.

Like a spare short story, this little indie nurtures a few simple emotions, then hopes its audience will stick around to share in them. I’m glad I did.