In honor of The Hangover guys hitting the road for Vegas, we’re offering up some of the best road trip movies that may or may not happen on a traditional road, in the traditional sense. We’re talking about the journey from A to B with the 20 Greatest Road Trip Movies of All Time… and while they all may not fit the mold of what usually springs to mind, it makes for a more interesting trip, don’t ya think?
Smokey and the Bandit (1977)
Burt Reynolds
Sally Field
Jackie Gleason
Jerry Reed
Smokey and the Bandit ain’t nothin BUT a long road trip. With funny turns by Burt Reynolds and Jackie Gleason, it’s no wonder Smokey and the Bandit landed eighth on our list of best action-comedies. Just try and get “Eastbound and Down” outta your head. Sumbitch.
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Judy Garland
Ray Bolger
Jack Haley
Bert Lahr
Billie Burke
Pesky little tornado touches down and turns one girl’s life on its head. Girl and dog meet characters in need of something (a metaphor for how we all need something, right?) as they ease on down the yellow brick road in search of the big man himself, The Wizard. Wicked witch, munchkins and damn flying monkeys pop up like so many obstacles on the road of life. Cue the big musical number and let’s get on with it already.
The Straight Story (1999)Richard Farnsworth
Sissy Spacek
Harry Dean Stanton
This is one unconventional road trip – no buddies along in the backseat – hell, there is no back seat! Richard Farnsworth’s Alvin Straight is on a journey to see his estranged ailing brother and nothing is going to get in his way. It may not be the fastest way to get to point B, but his trusty John Deere makes the six-week trek, Straight meets interesting folks along the way and ultimately he makes it to his brother. Kookiest thing? It’s a David Lynch movie.
The Muppet Movie (1979)The Muppets
Damn if those Muppets aren’t on the ever-lovin’ road trip of a puppet’s lifetime. With a dream to make it big in Hollywood, Kermit the Frog embarks on a journey that introduces him to the rest of the Muppety gang, and they travel in and out of precarious situations (Doc Hopper, anyone?). But ultimately, it’s all good. The pig gets her frog and the big musical number finale says it all.
The Darjeeling Limited (2007)Owen Wilson
Adrien Brody
Jason Schwartzman
Three brothers embark on a journey aboard the Darjeeling Limited train – a spiritual trip across India that brings the estranged siblings together. In quirky Wes Anderson form, a runaway snake and pepper spray fit into the quirky comedy well, getting the trio booted from the train and stranded in the desert with all their baggage. Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, and Jason Schwartzman play the brothers to perfection, as their trip back to civilization puts them in touch with their lost connection.
Rain Man (1988)Dustin Hoffman
Tom Cruise
Valeria Golino
Assy Charlie Babbitt (Tom Cruise) discovers that the autistic brother he never knew, Raymond (Dustin Hoffman), inherited his father’s fortune, so he kidnaps Ray and they set off on a road trip (Ray won’t fly) like no other. from Kmart underwear, to the People’s Court, those friggin spilled toothpicks (hey, it’s Bonnie Hunt as the waitress!) and a side trip to count cards in Vegas, Charlie learns more about his special brother and a load about himself, realizing the estate money really isn’t that important after all.
Tommy Boy (1995)Chris Farley
David Spade
Rob Lowe
Julie Warner
Dan Aykroyd
Chris Farley and David Spade hit the open road as two lame-ass salesmen hoping to save Farley’s dad’s auto parts company from “auto parts king” Ray Zalinsky (Dan Aykroyd). The unlikely buddy teaming is prickly at first, but somehow Farley’s loveable dufus finds his way into Spade’s uptight heart and they make beautiful music together on the road, sell brake pads… and of course, save the company!
Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure (1985)Paul Reubens
Elizabeth Daily
Mark Holton
Diane Salinger
Somebody stole Pee-Wee Herman’s bicycle and there’ll be hell to pay when he takes to the road in search of the thief and his stunning prized possession. An early directorial feature from Tim Burton, Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure takes the viewer along for the ride, as Herman has run-ins with a ghost trucker, bikers and a jealous boyfriend too. Just remember “Be sure and tell ‘em Large Marge sent ya!”
Apocalypse Now (1979)Martin Sheen
Marlon Brando
Robert Duvall
Again, this “road trip” entry is about the journey, as Captain Willard (Martin Sheen) travels the Cambodian jungle and the Nung River to “terminate with extreme prejudice” the renegade Colonel Kurtz (Brando), who is waging his own personal war against the Vietnamese with native troops. Willard’s journey is physical and spiritual, and director Francis Ford Coppola pulls out the best performances in his ensemble cast.
Easy Rider (1969)Peter Fonda
Dennis Hopper
Jack Nicholson
This is it. THE road trip movie of the 60s. Get your motor runnin’… as bikers Wyatt and Billy set off on a road trip across America to Mardi Gras, in search of America and freedom. A total trip, with some highs and lows… bigotry, hitchhikers, jail, a lawyer and death among them… but Easy Rider is never anything less than pure road trip goodness.
Dumb and Dumber (1994)Jim Carrey
Jeff Daniels
Lauren Holly
Two morons take it on the road from Rhode Island to Aspen, Colorado (”where the beer flows like wine”)… and we never do really find out which one is dumb and which one dumber in this Farrelly brothers gross-out comedy classic. Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels shine in this asshole buddy comedy, with classics like “wanna hear the most annoying sound in the world” and… well, a little revenge that lands Jeff Daniels’ Harry on the toilet in one of the most explosive bathroom scenes ever.
Harold and Kumar go to White Castle (2004)John Cho
Kal Penn
Neil Patrick Harris
Stoners on the road get sidetracked by all sorts of adventures on their way to the elusive White Castle. Things are anything but dull in this ultimate quest to cure the munchies – with extra fun from Neil Patrick Harris. Who doesn’t love Harold and Kumar?
Sideways (2004)Paul Giamatti
Thomas Haden Church
Virginia Madsen
Sandra Oh
A road trip in wine country? Middle aged schlubs can take road trips too! Yep, two loser-ish dudes travel the wine trail and discover a bunch about themselves, their friendship and relationships with women. Can this road trip provide the enlightenment to accept their failures and move on to better things? Paul Giamatti is brilliant as ever… plus Sideways made Pinot Noir the total “it” wine, so that’s something.
Into the Wild (2007)Emile Hirsch
Marcia Gay Harden
William Hurt
Jena Malone
Catherine Keener
What happens when someone who seemingly has it all going for him gives it all up for a journey of self-exploration? Into the Wild is the amazing true story of Christopher McCandless, a recent college grad who abandons his possessions and savings account to travel to Alaska on a quest for life’s truth. Along the way, McCandless meets a number of people that enrich his life and ultimately he learns being a loner isn’t such a great thing… in the end, scribbling in his book: “Happiness only real when shared.”
Little Miss Sunshine (2006)Greg Kinnear
Steve Carell
Toni Collette
Paul Dano
Abigail Breslin
Alan Arkin
A dysfunctional family on (dysfunctional) wheels, Little Miss Sunshine is one of those true quirky indie film gems, with a great cast in Steve Carell, Abigail Breslin, Greg Kinnear,Toni Collette, Paul Dano, and of course, Alan Arkin as Grandpa. There’s nothing like being in close proximity to your crazy relatives in a barely functioning VW van (there’s gotta be a metaphor in there somewhere).
Thelma and Louise (1991)
Susan Sarandon
Geena Davis
Harvey Keitel
Brad Pitt
Shame on you if you think a chick flick can’t make the list of great road trip movies. A two-day vacation quickly goes all kinds of wrong - forcing these besties to go on the run from the long arm of the law. Thelma and Louise are two broads hitting the road for a tale that puts never-ending friendship to the test. And ultimately, over the edge. Friends ‘til the goddamn end, that’s for sure.
The Motorcycle Diaries (2004)
Gael García Bernal
Rodrigo de la Serna
The Motorcycle Diaries is nothing but road trip, reliving the journals of Cuban Revolution leader Che Guevara and his best friend as they traveled South America by motorcycle in the early 1950s. There’s an amazing story here that exposes the men to the divide between societal classes, plus the rich cinematography brings the story truly alive. OK, enough of the film geekiness… moving on…
Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987)Steve Martin
John Candy
Getting home for Thanksgiving has never been such a pain in the ass, but Neal Page (Steve Martin) quickly realizes that his bad luck demands him to have to play nicely and share rides with the most annoying of road trip buddies, Del Griffith (John Candy). Steve Martin and John Candy are the perfect comedic pairing – here’s just one of the movie’s great scenes:
Vacation (1983)Chevy Chase
Beverly D’Angelo
Anthony Michael Hall
Dana Barron
If this isn’t the perfect road trip flick, we don’t know what is. The Griswold family is on a cross-country pilgrimage to see Marty Moose at Walley World – planning to hit as many of the U.S. wonders along the way in their trusty family truckster as is humanly possible. A side visit with Cousin Eddie adds Aunt Edna and pooch to the list of passengers… and after she and the dog bite it, they finally get to their destination. But, oh frak… it’s closed. Ultimately, you can bet that nothing is getting in the way of Clark Griswold’s family having a good time.
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001/2002/2003)
Elijah Wood
Ian McKellen
Viggo Mortensen
Sean Astin
Orlando Bloom
Hugo Weaving
Andy Serkis
Sean Bean
Shit, what a long, long road to Mordor and Mount Doom. It’s like the mother of all road trips, spanning three movies to get the One Ring to point B. While The Lord of the Rings trilogy isn’t a conventional road trip, the journey is certainly long and there’s plenty of adventure and obstacles along the way. Any way you slice it, LOTR is one hell of an ultimate road trip.
