Roadside Prophets
Studio: New Line/Image Entertainment
Rated: R
WorkNameSort: Roadside Prophets
A road movie starring John Doe (of legendary L.A. punk band X) and Adam Horovitz (aka Ad-Rock of the Beastie Boys) with walk-ons by the likes of Timothy Leary, David Carradine and Arlo Guthrie should be a loose, funny and irreverent film. Roadside Prophets is definitely loose and funny, while its main reverence is to the codified form of the road movie itself. Neither Doe nor Ad-Rock are polished actors, and the whimsical plot ‘ Doe needs to deliver the ashes of a recently made and recently deceased acquaintance to El Dorado â?¦ Nevada ‘ is all kinds of predictable. But the smart humor and thick irony make the film a deeply enjoyable hoot. The way the acquaintance meets his maker is nearly as hilarious as the subtle presence of a Beastie Boys song in the scene’s background. Long a cult favorite among wizened punks and trivia buffs, this 1992 film is finding its debut on DVD only now, which makes it that much more disappointing that this edition is so light on bonus features.
This article appears in Oct 18-24, 2006.