Easy Rider

Starring: Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, Jack Nicholson, Phil Spector, Luana Anders
Directed by: Dennis Hopper
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
1969

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Two bikers (Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper) travel across America.

Review:

Tim: I knew a lot about the importance and influence of Easy Rider before I actually watched it. I was interested to see what all the fuss was about. While watching it, I felt like it was a good movie, but I wasn't sure why it was so hugely influential. As the film went on, I grew to like it more and more, and then the shocking, incredible ending completely won me over. This is a film that you can't really appreciate until the end. Looking back over the whole movie, this is certainly a landmark, incredibly influential film. It also happens to be a great movie.

Easy Rider is a road trip movie, but more importantly, it is an essential film that perfectly encapsulates the counterculture movement of the 1960s. All those elements are here- the hippie attitude, communes, frequent use of drugs- they are all part of the story of these two men, but they put the counterculture movement on display for all to see. This is a film that also heavily influenced Hollywood- it showed them that money could be made outside the studio system and that these small, independent movies could be incredible films. This movie is essential viewing for any true movie fan.

The cast was small but incredible. I loved Peter Fonda as Wyatt. He gives such a likeable, charismatic performance. He seemed like a genuinely good guy and established a great connection with the audience. I wanted to be his friend- that's how cool he seemed on screen. Dennis Hopper is good as his occasionally annoying friend. I love that Hopper, while directing, played the second fiddle in the film. He gives a good performance, but he clearly defers to Fonda. That was a great choice and it was fun to see these two great actors interact on screen. Jack Nicholson was an incredible addition to the cast. He has a smaller supporting role, but he picks up the energy of the film from the first second he's in it. This was really a star-making role for Nicholson. He was incredible and he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He absolutely deserved it. Most of my favorite scenes involve all three of these tremendous actors sharing screen time. The cast as a whole was remarkable.

I really liked some of Hopper's choices behind the camera. I loved the cinematography of the film and some of the scenes where nearly entire songs were played while they drove. That really gave this movie that epic road trip quality to it. The dialogue felt natural and real and always held my interest.

While this movie is very much counterculture, it goes beyond that. This wasn't just a film about hippies and drugs- it was about that entire time period in the late 1960s in the United States. It was about young people getting fed up with the government and all the rules and regulations of modern society. It was about the desire to get back to our roots, to some connection with the world that we lost. You watch this movie and you just get it. It's about people chasing true freedom. It's also a movie about what happens when you don't fit in- when you stand out, based on your clothes, your hairstyle, and your attitude. Spoiler alert- society doesn't like that. The last part of the film is really about that.

Easy Rider is truly a great movie. It came out at a time when movies like this weren't being made and it changed the ways things were done. There are hundreds of great movies out there, but far fewer that have had the influence this one did. If you love movies, this film has to be part of your "seen" list. It really is a remarkable film.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 8



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: The Graduate, The Last Movie, The Wild Angels