User reviews

So I just finished watching this film and I would first like to say, if you're looking for an exciting and riveting plot; you've come to the wrong place. However, if you prefer a story with incredibly compelling characters played by incredibly talented actors, than you definitely need to watch this movie. Robert Sheehan, who plays Vincent, does a remarkable job portraying someone with Tourette's without going overboard. Although some of what he says during his ticks are funny, you can tell that they also cause him agony and they is shown through his facial expressions and his tone of voice. Similarly, Dev Patel who plays Alex does another remarkable job of playing someone with OCD (at least in my opinion). Zoe Kravitz's character is both witty and carefree but also intensely tragic. I believe this movie has a good combination of feel good moments and moments where you truly empathize with the characters. Though the concept of a road trip plot is slightly overdone, the landscapes are beautiful and the three young actors have a way of keeping you interested and entertained the entire time. You find yourself wanting to know all of them on an even deeper level which I believe is quite telling of how compelling they are. There were moments that were difficult to watch and made me a bit emotional while there were also scenes where I laughed out loud. It really gives you a perspective on what it is like with a mental illness, especially as a teenager and the complications that they cause. Overall, not a perfect flick but Kravitz, Patel, and Sheehan are definitely worth checking this film out.

A very good drama-comedy which mixes the 2 elements of drama and comedy perfectly, which in many cases is not the case

Perfectly cast as well Robert Sheehan is excellent in the lead, you truly believe that he has Tourette's syndrome and Zoe Kravitz just keeps on proving with every movie she makes that she is a force to be reckoned with and I wouldn't be surprised at all if she got a Academy Award nomination for best supporting actress for this

I've never seen Robert Patrick better and feel more real than in this one

A must see if you like independent dramedies

Two things you should know about this film.

1. It works and you should see it. I don't want to make this more complicated than it needs to be. Humanistic films about an individual's problems set against the backdrop of a "road trip" are a tried-and-true Hollywood formula (think RAIN MAN, one of many) and this is one of the best. The characters are empathetic and engaging, the script is tight, and the direction by Gren Wells shows complete control of colors and settings (reminding me in many ways of the brilliant use of color in the series SENSE8). The two seasoned pros, Patrick and Sedgewick, are great but the young stars are nothing short of magnificent. Just see it.

2. Zoë Kravitz basically channels a young Angelina Jolie from the first moment she appears in frame to the last. Her performance is hypnotic, the camera loves her, you likely will too, and one expects to see a lot of more of her in films and in years to come.

I saw Dev Patel was in this and willing to take a shot at this straight-to-video title. What a mistake. The portrayal of someone with Tourette's syndrome was portrayed more like a caricature rather than a character. The other actors were also bafoonish. Really terrible direction, especially considering there were several very capable actors in this. What a waste. The writing was excrutiatingly dull and derivitive. Don't waste your time on this one, there are so many better made, more entertaining comedy/drama's out there.

There's no doubt that the script writing was done poorly. There are 3 main character and only one was dynamic. Many missed opportunities to shed light on the other two illnesses. I believe that the actors themselves did well with what was given to them. I'm not sure if the Tourette's was played accurately but I'm well aware that the OCD and anorexia well portrayed very well. Though the poor script diminishes the well-done portrayal because the characters have no story. They aren't written to throughly talk about their illnesses and it's affect on their lives. The road trip cliches were also added in but some were made necessary for the ending. I believe this had potential to be greater then what it was but not as bad as most are making it out to be.

Vincent Rhodes (Robert Sheehan) suffers from Tourette Syndrome. After his mother's death, his estranged father Robert (Robert Patrick) sends him away for treatment. He is roomed with obsessive clean freak Alex (Dev Patel). He falls for anorexic Marie (Zoë Kravitz). He and Marie run away stealing Dr. Rose (Kyra Sedgwick)'s car. Alex is going to tell on them so they kidnap him. The trio have an adventure as Robert and the doctor pursue them. Robert is unable to call the cops because of his political ambitions.

These are three interesting young performers in a fun road trip. They have great chemistry together. Zoë is enchanting and Dev is funny. I've been a fan of Sheehan since Misfits. As long as the movie stays with the group, it is perfectly fine. I find the ending satisfying. The three characters have their potholes in the road. They're not completely fixed in the end but they are better which is expected for this type of movie. Patrick and Sedgwick form the other half of the movie. Some of their scenes could be cut. In many ways, they are unimportant. I would rather spend the time with the trio as they work out their issues.

I thought this movie was absolutely remarkable. I was scrolling through Netflix for a fun movie with a little bit of drama and I came across this one. I wasn't completely intrigued by the short summary but gave it a shot because (as all Netflix viewers are) I was tired of scrolling. Little did I know, I would fall in love with the movie. This movie made me fall in love with the characters, their hearts, and emotions. It also really truly opened my eyes about mental disorders in a way that I couldn't have imagined. It showed me what these people truly go through and how a little bit of support can change how they live in the world. It was a story of strength, realizing ones self and also understanding other's emotions as well as your own. It's about building new relationships and fixing past relationships with patience and proper guidance. It's truly a satisfying movie.

Even better, was that the acting was phenomenal by all 3 leads. It was stunning, and beautiful. Made me want to have a story like all 3 of them, and make friends they way they did.

Watch this movie if you want something different, but also warm and friendly. It's like a new genre that has yet to be recognized. It's phenomenal, and if you watch it you'll know why.

Despite some of the cheesiness and predictability of this film, there were some moments of pure beauty. I don't think the critics quite understood what this film may mean for people with disabilities. It implies that no matter what may hold you back in life, as long as you have friendship, bravery, and commitment, you can strive to achieve pretty much anything.

As Marie (played by Zoë Kravitz), Alex (played by Dev Patel), and Vincent (played by Robert Sheehan) made their way closer to the ocean, they also grew closer together and stronger in their fight against their disabilities. The film was mediocrely structured as it seemed to keep drawing focus away from the overall message. Nevertheless, the message was received by myself and by many others as well.

Gren Wells wrote the characters so accurately, yet so innocently, and was able to make audiences laugh about the disabilities rather than feel uncomfortable about them. Overall I give this film 7/10 stars.

Absolutely loved this movie! It gives you real empathy for the things people and their families with these disabilities go through. It will make you want to cry at times but there are many laugh out loud moments. Somehow director, Gren Wells, manages to draw you into their world so that you laugh with the characters rather than at them, at the same time as you feel their pain. Can't say enough about the acting in this! Robert Sheehan, Dev Patel, and Zoe Kravitz are each outstanding and portray heartbreakingly real characters. Robert Patrick is wonderful as the frustrated father with no understanding of how to cope with his son and his challenges. Kyra Sedgewick as the doctor and director of an experimental program, is well cast and believable. Don't miss this one!

Vincent(Robert Sheehan) is a young man with Tourettes Syndrome. The Road Within opens with Vincent in a church screaming obscenities while a priest is saying Mass. His father places him at a private facility where he is roomed with Alex(Dev Patel), who suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder and is a germ freak who can never be touched. They are soon joined by Marie(Zoe Kravitz) who has Anorexia. Maria steals their doctor's car keys and thus begins a very different road trip. The three main actors are magnificent, with a natural chemistry. The story alternates between funny and heartbreaking with ease. The final scenes are a bit sentimental, but I still would recommend The Road Within for its' positive outlook on life.

Wow! I laughed, cried, throughout this movie. I was amazed to find out that this was a directorial debut for director/writer Gren Wells. If you love falling in love with characters as they head on their journey, this movie is for you! Through the seriousness of the disorders this movie takes on (which, by the way, were beautifully portrayed by Kravitz, Patel and Sheehan) I was able to feel with them, laugh with them, and cry with them. The Tourette's Syndrome, OCD, and Anorexia that they took hold of was captivating. I could tell that a whole lot of thought was put into researching Tourette's by Gren Wells and Robert Sheehan because they gave us just enough of Tourette's. It would have been extremely easy to portray too much of ticks and mannerisms and make him look silly, but fortunately his interpretation was sincere and gave us just enough. I applaud him and the whole cast for the care they took with their characters and their corresponding illnesses. I would call this film 'careful' in the greatest way. It is extraordinary to find a director paired with an outstanding cast that take great care in their art. I loved it!

I just decided to watch because of Robert Sheehan and his acting. I couldn't stop laughing... It is worth to watch this movie if you don't have anything to see. I empathized with and I felt related within the son the main character and dad relationship.

The critics all panned this and now I can see why. Should've read the critic's reviews BEFOREHAND so I wouldn't have wasted my time watching this on prime.

What really irks me is that lots of people live with these diseases, and they tend to do it with a lot more grace than this movie possesses. This film trivializes and makes a mockery of these afflictions. It's simply lazy writing and lack of research. The characters in this are completely defined by their respective challenges. Not one of them seem to have a personality. They just have illness. And that completely rings false. And the person who directed this clearly didn't have the slightest notion of what they were doing. I wonder if Kyra Sedgewick realized what she was signing up for. A shame.

It sucks when you're trying to get a feel for a film and people associated with it post fake positive reviews. This director was clearly incompetent: the pacing is sluggish and she couldn't pull believable performances out of the cast. Everyone was wayyy over the top. Awful script is riddled with lame dialogue. Unfortunately you can't turn a pig into a lion.

So mental illness is something I struggle with. One of the major ones is OCD. I'm tired of movies and shows portraying OCDers as germaphobes. OCD can be much more complex than that. As well, for tourettes, I don't know anyone who has it, but I got the sense it was being used as comic relief and was slightly exaggerated. As far as the female character goes, not all women with eating disorder are the "rebel type"...

I believe the films creators had good intentions though. The level of filmmaking is only mid tier, as they relied on way too many tropes. Tropes I've seen seeing since I was a little feller and watched my second movie. It was also quite predictable.

Honestly though, I don't know if someone with mental illness would write a movie like this and I wonder if the screenwriter even has mental illness himself, or just thought it'd be a "touching" story, with the Oscar statue lingering in the back of his mind.

Still, it's hard to resist the journey the characters go through and the way they bond over their illnesses. As someone who's been there myself, I know that bond can be very powerful. Social Stigma is still very strong and it's hard to find someone suffering from a debilitating disease that is going to open up to you and be your friend.

I also appreciated the use of music in this film. At first, I thought I left my Classical playlist running, but it was just Dev Patel playing Bach while he madly cleaned his room from germs. It snyched pretty well. The other songs were perfect for the scenes as well. Yet this is the only artistic merit I would grant this movie.

Stil, I gave it a 7 because overall I think it depicted metal illness sufferers as real, hell even normal, people. It was fast paced, quick and to the point. I enjoyed watching it. Oscar Contender or Indie favorite it is not, it still kept me entertained.

'THE ROAD WITHIN': Four and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

A remake of the 2010 German drama flick 'VINCENT WANTS TO SEA'; about a teen with Tourette Syndrome, who befriends two other patients (one with OCD and one with anorexia) at the behavioral facility his dad enrolls him in. They steal their doctor's car and embark on a road trip together, to the coast. The film was written and directed by Gren Wells (in her directorial debut) and it stars Robert Sheehan, Dev Patel, Zoe Kravitz, Kyra Sedgwick and Robert Patrick. I enjoyed it immensely.

Vincent (Sheehan) is a teenager, that's suffered from Tourette's disorder; most of his life. His mother, who he was very close to, recently passed away; and his father (Patrick), who he's long resented, wants to enroll him in a special clinic. Once there, he's roomed with Alex (Patel); a young British man, with obsessive compulsive disorder. Alex is furious that he has to share his room with another person, and he immediately takes a disliking to Vincent. Vincent also meets Marie (Kravitz), at the facility, who he's immediately attracted to. Marie has a severe eating disorder, and pretty much won't eat anything. After Marie and Vincent get into trouble, with their doctor (Sedgwick), they decide to steal her car and head to the coast; so Vincent can spread his mother's ashes there. When Alex catches them in the act, they kidnap him and take him along with them.

The movie is equally funny and emotional. It's not overly heartbreaking though; as it has a lot of optimism, and a great deal of compassion (for it's characters). What I really love about the film, though, are the performances; Sheehan, Patel and Kravitz are all amazing in it (and Patrick and Sedgwick aren't bad either). I found the three lead characters to be all very likable, and relatable too, despite their flaws. It's a very touching and well made movie, especially for outsiders and misfits (like most great films are).

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Thoroughly entertaining film. Simple story line. However the characters really build on you. They are interesting. A film with a million facial expressions. Excellent portrayal of facing your demons. Definitely worth watching. The characters are more easily portrayed for the actors due to the illnesses they each carry. They are portrayed as on the extreme of each illness, each being severe. However, the balance is good, surprisingly (and with great humor) it is never too over the top and stays believable. They each struggle with the extra water they try to carry through their lives. The main three deliver a great performance, I felt attached and I must admit I needed to shed a tear.

An excellent film looking at how three young people live their lives in a world that still struggles with difference. Just wanted to give them all a massive hug.

As one who has lived with Tourette's myself and as a parent, I was pleased at how accurately this was portrayed. Robert Sheehan was most impressive and expressive. This actor conveys such sad torture with his eyes whilst in the throes of episode, I just wanted to hug him. Though many with Tourette's display the tics and vocalizing rather than the verbal profanity often used to show example, this film got all angles right. The words of the father in regard to his son made me cry...the writer/director must have dealt with this in life as she got the raw emotion of this disorder from the eyes of both parent and child. The Tic Code starring Christopher Marquette and the late Gregory Hines is another revelation in film focusing on life with and the parenting of one with Tourette's. The way The Road Within ties together OCD, anorexia and Tourette's with these brilliant young performers had me wishing it had debuted bigger and they had received far more accolades for their work. Along with Robert Sheehan, Zoe Kravitz is a study in subtlety without being dull and Dev Patel is all palpable anxiety. Robert Patrick's guilty dad believably shows his true colors and Kyra Sedgwick makes an easy piece as caring clinical director her own. This film should be shown in psychology courses for study.

This movie won't be for everyone. It's truly a unique movie. But if you take it for face value it's hard not to like it. The acting is top notch from all the actors. They all stretched their wings so to speak and thought they did such a good job. The story is pretty simple but in the end it all comes full circle. I think there are far worse movies out there that's for sure. I think the rating of 7 will be good for most viewers. For me I just thought it was a tick above...

I see actors trying hard, cameramen doing their job, but this story can't make it. Very low, uninteresting script that would get F mark in highschool.