You’d think that legions of Jack Kerouac fans would be clamoring to get to movie theaters to see On the Road, the Walter Salles-directed film that’s co-produced by Frances Ford Coppola and his son Roman. They might if anyone was showing it here. Bennett Cohen, who reviews the film for San Francisco magazine, saw it at Cannes a couple of weeks ago. It was released in France, Switzerland and Belgium in May, and is to screen throughout Europe and beyond by fall. So why is it being held back in the U. S. until late this year? Writes Cohen:
One possible answer: It’s not very good. In fact, it’s a snooze-fest. And that’s despite the fact that there’s so much naked flesh—in bedrooms, in cars, in tents, on dance floors. An NC-17 rating is said to be a real possibility.
