A rather astonishing work. The movie captures the intimacy of family dynamics so well and I love how the road movie clichés are simultaneously embraced and undermined.

Maybe I've missed something but it's just not an enjoyable ride. The young boy, however, has the makings of a fine actor

No, I've never heard of this but not only is it our second Iranian film on the list, it's the second film made by a member of the Panahi family - the last one was very peculiar indeed, so I'm hoping for something a little more straightforward this time (it would struggle to be less straightforward!). On the face of it, we've got something pretty simple - a family taking a road trip. Dad is grumpy with a broken leg, Mum seems a bit more sensible and trying to keep everyone in line, the eldest son is very quiet and the youngest son is QUITE the handful - precocious beyond belief and he won't shut up, but he's also pretty funny. As time goes on, it becomes clear why they're on the road trip and emotions run high with everyone reacting in their own way to the situation, with the family unit still being the overriding factor. All in all, the film is a thoughtful meditation on family relationships - particularly what you'd do for your children, no matter what the cost to you. You'll always love them, even if they drive you mad or are acting quite unloveably - and you'll always want to give them advice, no matter how much they don't want it! And in that vein, the film meanders its way to a bittersweet but very satisfactory conclusion - it manages to pack a whole lot more plot in there than you initially envisage, with it being slowly released as the film progresses. It's all well acted - Hassan Madjooni and Pantea Panahiha (the parents) in particular do a great job but Amin Simiar (the elder son) and Rayan Sarlak (the younger) join them in acting as a believable family unit. There are other people in the film, but it's fair to say they don't have the chance to shine - except for the cyclist in a road race that they accidentally knock over who takes his moment in the spotlight well. The film is well written on several levels - it has believable characters, who you like and root for, even if they're not behaving at their best. They are also in a believable relationship - there's a lot here that will chime with anyone. But on top of that stable core, it also introduces some lovely song/dance routines and flights of fancy at times. It has an utterly charming scene wherein the dad (wearing a very snazzy gold sleeping bag suit!) and youngest son talk utter nonsense about how much Batman's car is worth (and it feels exactly like the sort of thing a real family would talk about anywhere in the world). And as they talk, stars appear in the grass they're lying on and then it's slowly replaced by the night sky - it's just so lovely. It also manages to have a remarkably poignant scene where one of the family is tied to a tree and screaming his head off - which is quite the achievement. It's also well filmed - a lot of it takes place in the car but it all feels well thought out. It's also got very cool scenery - there's all sorts in Iran it appears and it looks to be a beautiful country, but I suspect I won't be paying it a visit any time soon. And since it was both written and directed by Panah Panahi, he thoroughly deserves a name-check (and I enjoyed this a lot more than I enjoyed his father's film). I wouldn't say this is a "great" film, but it's thoroughly enjoyable and relatable, whilst also having plenty of content to make you think a bit deeper about things and maybe appreciate your life a bit more. I also imagine that making any film in Iran is not a trivial undertaking (it really isn't), particularly one with some political content, so credit is due to the team involving in getting this out there. Some aspects of this film are very specific to Iran, but it feels easily transferable so I wouldn't be surprised to see an English language remake at some point - although in several places I was very much reminded of Little Miss Sunshine, so there's possibly an argument this is a Farsi-language politicised version of that! Provided you don't mind subtitles, I think this is well worth watching - at the time of writing, it's available to rent in all the usual places (it's much more widely available than I was expecting) so maybe check it out.

Incredible movie. Sweet funny beautiful.

It had its funny and poignant moments, but I think I would have liked this more if I had the cultural and historical context to understand it better. It was likable overall, though I wasn't a fan of the weird lip-singing at the end.

Such a well acted movie and the dialogue was great. Funny and then increasingly sadder as you realize the true horror that is behind this road trip.

A very beautiful film where we follow an Iranian family in a road trip without tail or head with great lines, very well constructed characters and the pain of a country plunged in the exile and the exodus through the humor. To see without further delay

So I tried watching one movie tonight, but found it tedious and dull. I switched to this one, and wasn't much into it, either. May sound like film review sacrilege, as it seems every single Iranian, Iraqi, Turkish, Balkan, Kazakhstani....film gets a 4-5 star review and a 90-some percent RT rating, but I didn't get much from this one for most of the running time. It did grow on me after a while, though. The kid was annoying for a lot of the movie, including the really obnoxious opening scene with the phone. But the movie did redeem itself somewhat for me in the final scenes. Pantea Panahiha as the mother was particularly good, so convincingly conveying the pain of her son leaving them across the border. This is considered a dramatic comedy, and there were funny bits, mostly from Hassan Madjooni, who was great as the very dry father, so over both of his son's behavior. The next to last scene was very nice, with the mother driving them and smiling again as they all enjoy some Iranian pop music. But then the director saw fit to add another scene like that, only a cheesy with the kid mouthing the words. Bad call. Still, I'll give it 3 stars.

Nope. Just because a movie is made in Iran doesn't give it a free ride on ratings. This movie is stupid, It isn't funny. It isn't original. It isn't charming. It isn't clever. It is stupid. Unoriginal. Period. I suffered a good hour before I finally turned it off. I hate when I give critics the benefit of the doubt and suffer through movies.

Overall, this is quite an impacting, touching and memorable film. While everything surrounding the film plot isn't spelt out for our audiences, there's enough on display for all to feel connected to our leads and their emotional journey. The leads are the major highlight of the film, delivering strong and realistic conversations. Each lead shines out their character's different personalities, making the film more pleasing. The filming style is stunning, successfully capturing moments of drama and beautiful scenery with finesse.

This movie is awesome. Another Iranian move that shows the level of Iranian directors and their films.

The debut of Panah Panahi is brilliant at times and a fantastic addition to Iranian filmmaking. It is a family road trip film that is tragic, funny and relatable. There are long takes and scenes where the camera is far away. Then out of nowhere is a tangent that seems like it is from another movie, but yet totally works! Powerful, gentle and a hopeful beginning to Panahi's future! Final Score: 8/10

Wonderful acting. Very funny dialogue. Unusual story plot. Breathtaking scenery-

This film is quite touching and poignant but only really towards the end - I wasn't overly bothered about it for the most part before then. It depicts a day in the life of a family on a road trip, with their domestic issues and arguments. The young boy was relatively amusing (his energetic enthusiasm at times is certainly somewhat infectious), with some witty dialogue, drawing on the car windows and such like. The scene I really liked showed him cuddling up to his father in a warm jacket/top on the ground, with hail stones landing nearby.

Beautifully filmed in a stunning and (to someone living in Ireland) spectacular landscape, at turns whimsical and tragic, this film shows the cruel

Hit the Road is a film that came with much acclaim but sadly it didn't really connect with me at all. This Iranian road film never feels insightful or compelling in anyway. A group of four are on the open road in Iran. An older woman and man and their twenty something son and their even younger son. Plus an ailing dog. At first we don't know the reason behind the trip but eventually we learn that the older son is leaving the country in secret. The plot is quite thin so a film like this relies on interesting dialogue and some wit and charm. Sadly it's never really received as this family is excruciatingly annoying. Especially the youngest son. I really wanted this film to just end.

HIT THE ROAD by Iranian director Panah Panahi (who also wrote it) is about a boring family on a boring road trip across a boring landscape. Mum tries to laugh, but sometimes she can't help the tears that run down her face. Meanwhile, in the back seat, Dad is nursing a broken leg and the youngest belts out car karaoke. The only quiet one is the older brother. The family is hit by one problem after another, but they just keep going. All these elements may make it sound like an interesting movie. But, while the cinematography is gorgeous, and the little boy, played by Rayan Sarlak, is a scene-stealer, the film feels long and slow. There's no real plot or character development and for most of the movie, we have no idea what the purpose of the trip is which means the events on the trip a without context. If you're in the mood for a visually stunning but ultimately frustrating film, HIT THE ROAD might be for you. Otherwise, skip it.

Hollywood Reporter calls this film a "Persian Little Miss Sunshine" which is an extremely apt summation though with the caveat that this is intrinsically more serious, with an underlying sense of foreboding, despite its many light-hearted moments. Writer-director Panah Panahi (son of famed Iranian director Jafar Panahi) begins his film mid-journey with an Iranian family on the road. Within the claustrophobic setting of the car, there's the father with a broken leg, an anxious mother, their sad, stoic older son, his loud and hyperactive younger brother and the family dog who's on its last leg. As the adults distract themselves from the awful truth they're facing, they bicker, tease each other and break into songs, leaving the audience to uncover the real reason for the trip that's being hinted at amongst the frivolous and often humorous conversations the family engages in, with topics ranging from Lance Armstrong to films and the Batmobile. If this slow revelation uncovers something you already suspected, its impact is no less powerful in later scenes when they arrive at the emotionally devastating denouement, and Panahi shifts gear visually for a deliberately observational shot from afar where you cannot see their faces and yet you feel every single drop of emotions the characters on screen are going through, especially Pantea Panahiha who gives an evocative and heartbreaking performance as the mother, while young Rayan Sarlak avoids nauseating cuteness and precociousness with a delightfully natural and innocent presence that the film makes well-judged use of. This is a straightforward story beautifully (and sometimes surreally) handled by a confident debut director who finds that tricky balance between light and darkness, thankfully sidetracking sentimentalities for something much more heartfelt, resonating and raw to deliver a moving and lyrical film that leaves a bittersweet taste that lingers provocatively afterwards.

LOL, the funniest 01 hour: and 33 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The movie gives you a look in the family dynamics of an Iranian family, but there are so many questions which are not answered that the viewer now wants to hit the road again to better understand. The youngest child is the star of the show!