Cherry Jones, Christian Slater, Frankie Faison

Based on a Serbo-Croation story, this film by Alan Wade is set in rural Appalachia and stars Christian Slater as a suicidal stranger whose car breaks down on a long pilgrimage to the ocean. The locals...( read more  read more... ) greet him with suspicion, but when they find out that he has death on his mind, he becomes a local celebrity, treated with kindness and made a confidante of many who have troubles to share. The irony is that this rise in esteem is exactly the antidote to his self-destructive urges--but will these good people understand if he changes his mind? Wade's low-key approach is a good choice for this character-driven story, but his portrayal of rural types is a bit tainted by the clichés of TV's Northern Exposure and Doc Hollywood, stories where small-town folk are automatically eccentric. Still, this is a pleasant enough film about a highly unusual subject. --Tom Keogh

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56% liked it

902 ratings

PG-13, 90 min.

Directed by: Alan Wade, Cherry Jones, Christian Slater, Frankie Faison, Michael Parks, Robin Tunney

Release Date: September 5, 1997

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DVD Release Date: April 19, 2005

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Flixster Reviews (42)


  • July 7, 2009
    It seemed like it would have been a good movie- based on the first hour- but the ending was upsetting. They wanted the ending to seem poetic, but it just left you hanging.
  • June 14, 2009
    This movie stars two of my favorite actors, but I just don't get it.
  • May 14, 2007
    be careful what you say;cause some people will hold u to it
  • May 13, 2007
    Recommended by SV Girl.
  • May 12, 2007
    This will go down as one of my all time (but little known) favorites. Just unique and wonderfully brilliant! The best review I saw for this said: "Julian Po a Mayberry Tale with a Serling Twist". That about sums it up. Strange but smart and perfect. Christian Slater plays a s...( read more)uicidal book-keeper who's car breaks down and he walks into this Appalachian town. There (upon the town discovering he is on a mission to kill himself) he becomes a make-shift messiah of sorts. There are wonderful performances all around in this film. Slater is fun to watch in this role, and the innkeeper's role played by Michael Parks is hilarious.

    I have to also mention this movie was beautifully scored by Patrick Williams and most certainly contributed to the feel of the movie.

    A movie I want to own to watch again and again. Seems I'm in the miniority (again). No matter.
  • September 6, 2006
    Very strange little movie,reminded me of something you would read from Shirley Jackson.

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