Popular reviews

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  Review by davidehrlich ★★½ 5

  One of the precious few movies that Wong Kar-wai has produced for another filmmaker in the last 20 years (though unsurprisingly, not the first to concern a handsome bartender who can’t escape the throbbing hangover of his greatest heartbreak), Nattawut “Baz” Poonpiriya’s “One for the Road” is a syrupy glob of romantic melodrama that has as much in common with the likes of “The Bucket List” and “Elizabethtown” as it does with the lovelorn poetry of “2046” or “Chungking Express.” Despite his art-house cachet, Wong’s producing credits have always tended to fall on the commercial side of the fence.

  Anyone familiar with Poonpiriya’s “Bad Genius” won’t be surprised to find that the director’s follow-up fizzes with the same pop sensibility…

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  Review by Ethan Colburn ★★★½ 1

  A movie about a bartender who expresses emotions through cocktails? Sign me up!

  This one was very stylish, I was very impressed by the flair Poonpiriya was able to add to this movie, especially in the bartending scenes. This movie has a lot of heart, and feels quite reflective and nostalgic. It captures the world of Thai people living in New York really well, as well as how expectations and plans tend to differ from reality.

  My main criticism is it was about 20 minutes too long. Cutting back the runtime from 135 minutes to 115 would have been perfect and given the movie more tonal consistency.

  Interesting but somewhat tiring film!

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  Review by jing @ ZFF ★★★ 4

  A buddy film based on a setting that has been explored in numerous films, One for the Road tells the story of Aood, who—after being diagnosed with cancer—calls his friend Boss to join him on a farewell, ticking-things-off-the-bucket-list trip of sorts. Although the premise is arguably neither the most inventive, nor the most original, this movie still manages to bring something new and exciting to the table.

  With its fuzzy cocktails, melancholic colors, and nostalgic soundtrack, One for the Road is a smile-inducing ride from start to finish, pairing the two leads’ unbeatable chemistry with witty dialogues, and creating a meaningful story set against the backdrop of restless New York City streets and stunning Thai landscapes. Clocking in at a runtime of 137 minutes,…

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  Review by AmandaTheJedi ★★★½ 2

  NOT MY TEMPO

  but seriously, I think this needed a bit of tightening up in the middle but it stuck the landing and I'm crying again. Score may go up as this sits with me. Incredible performances all around, loaded with heart on a journey of friendship, loss and redemption

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  Review by clementine ★★★★½

  felt like getting roundhouse kicked in the jaw for 136 minutes

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  Review by Austin Burke ★★★½ 4

  👍🏻70%
  Sundance Movies Ranked - Click HERE
  Sundance Movie #2
  Quick Review

  Boss, a high end club owner living in New York, who receives a call from his friend in Thailand, Aood, revealing he is in the last stages of terminal cancer.

  This is the definition of a journey. It will be an absolute thrill-ride for some but a trudge for others. One for the Road is separated into two distinct halves that each bring something interesting to the table. The first half is far less superior to the second, but it all comes down to what type of film you appreciate more. What works effortlessly is the relationship between the two leads. The integration of story buildup sprinkled throughout is…

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  Review by Matt Neglia ★★★½

  ONE FOR THE ROAD rewards patient viewers with an emotionally affective story about regret, friendship & love. Filmmaker Baz Poonpiriya takes his characters on a journey that spans years & continents. It unexpectedly shifts midway but morphs into something even better by the end!

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  Review by claira curtis ★★★½ 4

  My final watch of Sundance feels fitting by the title of the film alone. 

  Baz Poonpiriya’s latest has all the makings of something truly great, from epic needle drops, fascinating female characters, and some highly impressive visual flair, but seems to meander away into less appealing realms for a frustratingly decent chunk of its overly padded runtime. 

  One for the Road would have been amazing if Alice and Prim were lovers instead but I digress. The layout of the plot feels a bit like squashing two separate movies together, hoping it all works out in the end. For the most part it does, despite me have a momentary crisis an hour in when I realized I still had over an…

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  Review by kevinyang ★★★½

  Often mesmerizing, often frustrating, but all in all a very emotionally engaging film about forgiveness, loss, love, and friendship. The directing, cinematography, and performances are all top notch, and there's a magnetism and energy in the aesthetic that pull you in. Where the film loses its way often is in the pacing, at certain points in desperate need of tightening and at others - particularly during a shoehorned in love triangle towards the end - in need of taking a breath. The story has undeniable emotional resonance, but there are one too many detours taken. Also wish it treated its women characters better, even if the men at the center don't.

  But again - definitely worth a watch and would like to see it picked up, especially since it might be flying a bit under the radar going up against Coda on opening night. It's an ambitious, free flowing, slightly overstuffed emotional journey.

  GRADE: B

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  Review by {Todd} ★★★★

  "Relationships are like drinking... you go with the flow and you'll be drunk as hell" - Boss,

  - 2021 Ranked: boxd.it/aL2Ys
  - Sundance 2021 Ranked: boxd.it/b1NDo

  Outstanding.

  I love a film that is willing to take its time with a vibe and that's what Nattawut Poonpiriya's film does... it takes its time. But, there are so many fun stories and so many beautiful things/people/places/drinks to look at along the way that I hardly noticed this was over two hours. Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying is a total babe and he really is the weight that keeps this film grounded and enjoyable. I appreciate the direction and editing quite a bit, and the cinematography is really wonderful. The very ending drags a bit and for me that stopped it from being an even higher score but this is absolutely great.

  Loved it.

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  Review by nabeel ★★★★★

  somehow transcendental and deeply, painfully human. nattawut poonpiriya is raising the bar like no one else

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  Review by PlaguDocta ★★★★½

  Come drink with me, whenever you had; whenever you will. My wavelength never told me what to do, when and how. To know, to fuck up, to listen and learn. Crossing it like a T, was a difference to me. Feeling it up like a brew and cigarette towards your peripheral night. Of course you were there, at all-nighter from sun-wake, hometowned to me, smelling flavored cig clouds in my head.