The Odd Way Home is a 2013 independent film directed by Rajeev Nirmalakhandan. This drama follows a troubled woman, Maya (Rumer Willis), on the run from an abusive boyfriend, who accidentally robs an old woman and steals a delivery truck, only to find the back of the truck has been converted into a bedroom by Duncan (Chris Marquette), a high-functioning autistic twenty-something. Through a picaresque road-trip to Duncan's only-living relative, the two develop a friendship and an understanding of what family really is. The film world premiered at the 2013 Austin Film Festival.[1]

The Odd Way Home
Film poster
Directed byRajeev Nirmalakhandan
Written byRajeev Nirmalakhandan, Jason Ronstadt
Produced byPatrick Nelson, Peter Touche
StarringRumer Willis
Brendan Sexton III
Chris Marquette
Veronica Cartwright
CinematographyMatt Wilson
Edited byBen La Marca
Music byDaniel James Chan
Distributed byBreaking Glass Pictures
Release date
  • October 25, 2013 (2013-10-25) (Austin Film Festival)
Running time
87 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Cast

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Release

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The Odd Way Home was released on VOD by Breaking Glass Pictures on June 3, 2014. Many reviews compared the story to Rain Man or the Sundance hit Adam, though the film has a much lower budget than both. Variety said "the pic’s small scale, tight focus and generally low-key tenor lend it an attractive modesty that succeeds in tamping down the more melodramatic moments."[2] The Washington Post noted the film "gets under your skin, thanks mainly to the nuanced performance of Chris Marquette,"[3] a feeling echoed by The Village Voice which said Marquette "elevates some ghastly material, bringing a human touch to the script's overripe yet hackneyed dialogue."[4] The Hollywood Reporter was extremely negative, finding the film "riddled with cliches and hamstrung by a scattered script and often forced performances."[5] In contrast, the reviews on the website Autism Today have been overwhelmingly positive, with some calling the film "beautifully written and expertly executed" and "The Odd Way Home is a movie that will stay with you for days."[6]

References

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  1. ^ "Austin Film Festival First Wave of Films for 20th Anniversary Lineup". 19 August 2013.
  2. ^ "Film Review: 'The Odd Way Home'". 29 May 2014.
  3. ^ Michael O'Sullivan; Stephanie Merry; Ann Hornaday (2014-06-12). "Watch online: 'The Odd Way Home,' 'Date and Switch' and 'The Great Flood'". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C. ISSN 0190-8286. OCLC 1330888409.
  4. ^ "Marquette and Willis Elevate the Material in The Odd Way Home | Village Voice". www.villagevoice.com. Archived from the original on 2014-09-08.
  5. ^ "'The Odd Way Home': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. 31 May 2014.
  6. ^ "The Odd Way Home". Archived from the original on 2014-10-01. Retrieved 2014-09-07.
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