The Roads Not Taken – Movie Review
ABC Film Challenge – Female Directors – X (Xenia)
Director: Sally Potter (The Tango Lesson)
Writer: Sally Potter (Screenplay)
Cast
- Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men)
- Elle Fanning (The Neon Demon)
- Branka Katic (The King’s Man)
- Salma Hayek (The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard)
- Dimitri Andreas (Prince of Persia)
- Katia Mullova-Brind
Plot: A day in the life of Leo and his daughter, Molly, as he floats through alternate lives he could have lived, leading Molly to wrestle with her own path as she considers her future.
Runtime: 1 Hour 25 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Story: The Roads Not Taken starts as Molly (Fanning) visits her father Leo (Bardem). He is suffering from a distortion of reality as he imagines different lives. Leo struggles with a normal day and Molly helps him manage everyday situations. He dreams of a more successful life where he is happy, as he battles depression and a sense of meaning.
Elsewhere, Molly finds herself questioning her role in his life, as she is losing out on the opportunities she created. However, she loves her father and wants to make sure he can remain safe, as his mentality is getting worse.
Verdict on The Roads Not Taken
The Roads Not Taken is a drama following a man who struggles with mental health problems. His mind creates more interesting realities, while his real-life sees him unable to achieve much without help from his family. It has been reflecting on his daughter who finds her life put on hold, while she is supporting him.
This movie shows the struggles people have with mental health. It shows how it can suck the life out of people and how it can hold back loved ones too. Everything we see in this movie highlights the battle which goes on in someone’s head. It proves it can become impossible to describe the feeling of the mindset going through the problems. This feels like a much more important drama than it comes off on the surface.
Where to Watch
JustWatch
Final Thoughts – The Roads Not Taken is a brilliant depiction of the challenges with mental health.
