Highway is a commercial U.S. feature film released in 2002. The film is a road trip movie with nearly the entire film taking place on a drive through part of the western United States. The DVD edition is marked as English language only and was released by New Line Home Entertainment.
Plot summary
As the film opens, Pilot (played by Jake Gyllenhaal) poses as a valet to take a customer's Rolls Royce convertible from a casino. During a joy ride, he gives his girlfriend, Lucy, a ride to work, then returns the vehicle. Jack (played by Jared Leto) is self-employed cleaning swimming pools in the Las Vegas area. He's a man with a reputation. Jack responds to the sexual overtures from Jilly (Kimberley Kates), who turns out to be the wife of Burt Miranda (Mark Rolston), an organized crime figure. One day Burt arrives home unexpectedly, and finds Jack and Jilly having sex. Although Burt is armed, Jack escapes the encounter (after Jilly protests that she was "raped"). Miranda sends a couple of goons — intent on "breaking his feet" — after Jack. The two decide to head for Seattle. The road trip begins.
Expanded details
Pilot is a stereotypical slacker. He also seems to have an altered level of consciousness in much of the film. Pilot uses and sells a variety of illegal drugs, smokes cigarettes, and also drinks.
Jack has poor impulse control and drinks alcoholic beverages. He usually does not drink while driving his crusty silver 1970s Chevrolet Monte Carlo. The Chevy is a headliner-free, hubcap-free, beater rather than the usual, pristine movie car.
They go through the stereotypical truck stops and coffee shops along the way. They run across an array of roadside characters. Early in the film, the two stop to eat in a Bishop, California truck stop. In the parking lot, they run across Cassie (played by Selma Blair). Cassie is hitchhiking and has a disagreement with the person whose car she is sharing. Jack offers her a ride. Cassie appears to like to wear Bikini tops and does so through much of the film. Jack and Pilot ultimately learn that she worked as a prostitute in one of the legally sanctioned brothels in Nevada, which they happened to visit before hitting the road. Later in the trip, the trio run into another character named Johnny the Fox (played by John C. McGinley). Like Pilot, Johnny the Fox is also a drug dealer and is headed on his way up to Seattle.
Much of the film is set at night, inside of cars, clubs, coffee shops, and dark motel parking lots. Much of the film is in low light. There are some aerial shots of the Oregon landscape. The film was shot in Las Vegas, Nevada, Langley, Washington and Seattle.
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