Hit the Road

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1:45

Hit the Road

2022

1h 33m

Comedy

Drama

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Popcornmeter

95%

Tomatometer

99 Reviews

79%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

Panah Panahi, son and collaborator of embattled Iranian master Jafar Panahi, makes a striking feature debut with this charming, sharp-witted, and deeply moving comic drama. Hit the Road takes the tradition of the Iranian road-trip movie and adds unexpected twists and turns. It follows a family of four -- two middle-aged parents and their sons, one a taciturn adult, the other an ebullient six-year-old -- as they drive across the Iranian countryside. Over the course of the trip, they bond over memories of the past, grapple with fears of the unknown, and fuss over their sick dog. Unspoken tensions arise and the film builds emotional momentum as it slowly reveals the furtive purpose for their journey. The result is a humanist drama that offers an authentic, raw, and deeply sincere observation of an Iranian family preparing to part with one of their own.

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Critics Consensus

A beautifully acted drama with steadily cumulative force, Hit the Road uses one family's journey to make trenchant observations about society as a whole.

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Leigh Singer

Sight & Sound

May 14

Panah Panahi’s debut feature is a stunningly assured road movie which balances emotional nuance with a bubbling undercurrent of political critique.

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Christina Newland

iNews.co.uk

09/18/2024

5/5

A tender portrait of family with a subtly political message.

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Adam Nayman

Cinema Scope

02/16/2023

Hit the Road works in enough familiar ways that critics can safely place it within a certain tradition. But it’s also hopefully the start of something new.

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William Stottor

Loud and Clear Reviews

07/18/2024

4/5

Hit the Road is a chaotic but tender snapshot of a family on a journey, shifting at ease between light-hearted humour and affecting drama.

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Nuha Hassan

Film Cred

09/04/2023

The rawness and the expressions captured in Hit the Road make the journey even more special, and when the youngest family member sticks his head through the sunroof and blissfully yells the chorus of the song, everything comes together.

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Kathy Fennessy

Video Librarian Magazine

06/07/2023

3.5/5

In best road movie fashion, Hit the Road also serves as a travelogue as the family passes pistachio-like hills, hot springs, and babbling brooks.

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Claude T

05/16/2022

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!

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Roy J

05/10/2022

Some random scenes and dialogues that confused me, but overall great movie and glad to see Panahi following his father's footsteps and also keeping his legacy alive.

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Esra Y

@RT95409318 Mar 16

Panahi's storytelling power comes from capturing panorama of Iran through most sincere, unassuming everyday moments.

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shahryar m

@shawnmanavi Jan 15

it had some very funny scenes and the child is very talented but the story didnt come well together. it felt like the movie didnt have a good conclusion. i wanted more from the film . too many loose ends

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Saeed F

@Sdfaraji Dec 31

Totally nonsense. Couldn’t continue watching even 10 minutes of it. Just because his father is famous?! He doesn’t have minimum talent. No future even with carrying his father’s name.

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Alec B

@Alec97 02/26/2024

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.

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Hit the Road: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Panah Panahi, son and collaborator of embattled Iranian master Jafar Panahi, makes a striking feature debut with this charming, sharp-witted, and deeply moving comic drama. Hit the Road takes the tradition of the Iranian road-trip movie and adds unexpected twists and turns. It follows a family of four -- two middle-aged parents and their sons, one a taciturn adult, the other an ebullient six-year-old -- as they drive across the Iranian countryside. Over the course of the trip, they bond over memories of the past, grapple with fears of the unknown, and fuss over their sick dog. Unspoken tensions arise and the film builds emotional momentum as it slowly reveals the furtive purpose for their journey. The result is a humanist drama that offers an authentic, raw, and deeply sincere observation of an Iranian family preparing to part with one of their own.

Director: Panah Panahi
Producer: Mastaneh Mohajer, Jafar Panahi, Panah Panahi
Screenwriter: Panah Panahi
Distributor: Kino Lorber
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: Persian
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 22, 2022, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 19, 2022
Box Office (Gross USA): $151.0K
Runtime: 1h 33m
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)