Redwood Highway (2013)

Marie decides to journey 80 miles on foot to the coast of Oregon to revisit the ocean of her past for the first time in 45 years.

Director:

Gary Lundgren

Writers:

Gary Lundgren, James Twyman

Stars:

Shirley Knight, James Le Gros, Catherine E. Coulson

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Shirley Knight	...	Marie
James Le Gros	...	Michael (as James LeGros)
Catherine E. Coulson	...	Susie
J.P. Phillips	...	Stan
Zena Grey	...	Naomi
Flannery Lundgren	...	Girl with Dog
Sedona	...	Dog
Barret O'Brien	...	Sheriff
Tyler James Myers	...	Young Man
Brent Hinkley	...	Mel
Danforth Comins	...	Detective Kyle
Geoff Whitman	...	Deputy Johnny
Tom Skerritt	...	Pete Peterson
Douglas Rowe	...	Sid
Shirley Johnson	...	Tailor

Storyline

Living in a comfortable retirement community in Southern Oregon, estranged from her family, unsatisfied with her surroundings, and generally not happy about life, Marie (Shirley Knight) decides to journey 80 miles on foot to the coast of Oregon to revisit the ocean of her past for the first time in 45 years. Once reluctant to attend her granddaughter's wedding, she now arrives as an unexpected guest. Along the way, she meets an extraordinary cast of characters and discovers that you're never too old to learn something about life... and about yourself.

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Plot Keywords:

old man | retirement community | on the road | family relationships | wedding | 

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Taglines:

It took Marie 45 years to walk 80 miles.

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements including a scene of menace

Did You Know?

Soundtracks

The Tete
Written by John Askew (as John Morgan Askew)
Published by Miniatura (ASCAP)
Performed by John Askew (as John Morgan Askew)

User Reviews

Simple and enjoyable.

While I wouldn't necessarily say you should rush out to see it, I did enjoy seeing Redwood Highway and think it's worth your time. It's just come out on DVD and I got my copy through Netflix. It's not the sort of film that has huge box office appeal, but it is very enjoyable and reminds me of one of my favorite Best Picture nominees last year, Nebraska.

Shirley Knight is not a household name, but Miss Knight is a very familiar face. Additionally, she's been nominated for a lot of awards-- including twice for the Oscar. Here, she plays Marie Vaughn--an elderly woman who is incredibly hard-headed and who is refusing to retire gracefully. She also is a pain for her family, as her independence and strong opinions make her very difficult to say the least.

When the film begins, Marie is living (quite against her will) in a retirement home when she receives a visit from her son. He invites her to her granddaughter's wedding and pig-headed Marie refuses to come-- mostly just to be ornery. She says that 22 is just too young to marry and she doesn't approve. However, after the granddaughter calls Marie and leaves her a very angry message, Marie has a change of heart. Well, it's not a complete change of heart--she will go to the wedding but on her terms. As for her terms, the nutty lady decides, without telling anyone, that she'll walk to the wedding and take a side trip to the sea shore! It's many miles and Marie isn't exactly a young girl--and the trip just seems ill-advised to say the least.

What follows is a low-key but interesting adventure--much like The Straight Story or Nebraska. Nothing exactly earth-shattering occurs but Marie meets up with a variety of mostly nice people who help her on her trek. Mind you--Marie WON'T let anyone drive her to the wedding--this must be on her terms! Will she make it and what could possibly go wrong?

I liked this film though I will quickly admit that it's not exactly the sort of film the average movie-goer would watch. There are no explosions, no insane plot twists nor any love interest. It's just a nice slice of life sort of a film where you meet a lot of interesting characters. I love this sort of 'little movie'--the type that just doesn't seem to care if it's a blockbuster or not--it just wants to entertain. And, entertaining this film certainly is.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official Website

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 April 2013 (USA)

Also Known As:

Redwood Highway

Filming Locations:

Ashland, Oregon, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$30, 13 April 2014

Gross USA:

$134,049

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$134,049

Company Credits

Production Co:

Redwood Highway

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1