Notebook Reviews: TWO LANE BLACKTOP

Monte Hellman – 1971

Monte Hellman’s Two Lane Blacktop is a well-regraded cult film and while it’s not bad, the whole endeavour is very superficial.

Hellman’s film looks great and the cast is intriguing  – singer-songwriter James Taylor, The Beach Boys’ Dennis Wilson, Warren Oates and Laurie Bird. However, this is a sparse and soulless film – it’s like George Lucas American Graffiti only without the heart.