‘Big Sur’ Trailer: On the Road Again With Kerouac

By  · Published on September 18th, 2013

Hot on the heels of the trailer for Kill Your Darlings comes another film about the beat generation – but it’s no tale of fresh faces in a new movement, nor does it take place anywhere near ivy-covered halls. Michael Polish’s Big Sur is the adaptation of the Jack Kerouac novel that chronicles his life long after the young and wreckless On the Road days have settled in the past.

But that doesn’t mean that Kerouac (Jean-Marc Barr) has any less of an interesting life now that he’s older, wiser, more accomplished – he’s just restless and looking for escape. So he heads out to Big Sur in search of both peace and company, and certainly finds it in friend Neal Cassady’s (Josh Lucas) mistress (Kate Bosworth).

With a location like Big Sur, it’s hard for your trailer not to be a stunner. However, our own Allison Loring felt that the prettiness wasn’t enough to save it when she reviewed the film for Sundance earlier this year. Still, holding judgement based on the trailer alone, the film looks intriguing based on the premise that it’s based on a novel from the later part of the beat movement – meaning it’s not going to be as carefree or lively as something written in his younger years. We’re now observing a beatnik with responsibilities, is what I’m saying.

Also, I’m just a sucker for when dialogue is written in the same fashion as an author’s writing style. Take a look at the trailer:

Big Sur is in theaters November 1st.