Highway to Hell
Interstate Turns Hitchhiking into Thriller

Back in the day, hitchhiking across America was a part of life on the road. Immortalized in books by Jack Kerouac and others, this lifestyle has nearly died out because of the inherent dangers involved. We all know the cautionary tales about picking up hitchhikers. In the new independent feature Interstate, written and directed by newcomer Marc A. Samson, the story of the lonesome hitchhiker takes a decidedly different twist.

Interstate
Riding in cars, with girls. Ed (Shiloh Fernandez) picks up some hitchhikers on the long road between nowhere and Los Angeles in the thriller Interstate. (Interstate Movie LLC, 2006)
Directed by: Marc A. Samson
Written by: Marc A. Samson
Starring: Shiloh Fernandez, Alexandra Ackerman, Jodi Stanford, Chase Mallen, and Walter Peña

Rated Not Rated
Running time: 115 min.

FilmGuru's Rating : 7 out of 10.

Ed (Shiloh Fernandez) is an all right guy. He's a DJ from Montreal, driving his girlfriend Chloe (Chase Mallen) to California. When he develops car trouble, he uses the bulk of his cash to buy her a bus ticket so she can make her audition. He promises to get there as soon as he can, and so begins the long process of hitchhiking across the United States. What happens next is less than expected.

In an abandoned filling station in New Mexico, Ed is picked up by a car heading west. The driver, Allan (Walter Peña), is a pill-popping, gun-toting, crazy who has to make it to California for a "business" meeting. After an unexpected plot twist, Ed ends up with the car and unwillingly picks up two new passengers, sisters Veronica (Alexandra Ackerman) and Gloria (Jodi Stanford).

Fernandez has an intensity that reminds me of a young Joaquin Phoenix. Despite Ed's vulnerability, he teeters between weakness and strength as if on the verge of losing all control. Fernandez manages to keep his character -- and the audience -- off balance.

Interstate is a beautiful looking low-budget film. The production values on this movie are way above what one would expect for an independent feature debut.

Overall, Interstate is a good, solid story and makes for compelling viewing. It's a tight script and well directed. Samson does a great job of drawing believable characters who are put into extreme situations. I enjoyed most of the film, but felt that the third act was a bit weak because of the acting.

Ackerman, who comes across as a Juliette Lewis understudy, started strong with Veronica's character but eventually bored me. When playing the seductive, playful Veronica, she comes across as genuine. Later, when she turns into a controlling monster, her lack of experience becomes apparent. She doesn't have the acting chops to pull off this kind of role.

The other key role in the film is filled by newcomer Stanford, who plays Gloria. Like Ackerman, Stanford's strength is her weakness. As a new performer, she's filled with energy and shows her willingness to get into the role. On the other hand, her lack of experience comes through at times, making pivotal scenes hard to believe.

One notable flaw is found in the beginning of the film. As Ed is driving through Missouri, the scenic backdrop includes mountains. Anyone who's ever driven through Missouri knows that there are no mountains, only hills.

Interstate is currently on the film festival circuit. It won Honorable Mention at the American Screenplay Festival.