Main Cast: John Doe, Adam Horowitz, David Carradine, Dr. Timothy Leary, Arlo Guthrie
Release Year: 1992
Country: US
Run Time: 96 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Screenwriter/electrician Abbe Wool makes her directorial debut with the offbeat road movie Roadside Prophets. Brooding factory worker Joe (X front man John Doe) takes a road trip in order to scatter the ashes of his co-worker Dave Coleman (David Anthony Marshall). Riding his vintage Harley Davidson, Joe leaves Los Angeles and heads for a small Nevada town called El Dorado to fulfill Dave's final wish. His journey is complicated by a small fry named Sam (the Beastie Boys' Adam Horovitz), a wannabe biker who continually lights off fireworks and nurtures an odd obsession with Motel 9. Joe also has to cope with making daily phone calls to Angie (voice of Sonna Chavez), his co-worker back in L.A. who is giving him sick days in exchange for the promise of a hot date. While traveling through the desert, Joe and Sam meet various eccentric characters played by the likes of David Carradine, John Cusack, Timothy Leary, and Arlo Guthrie. They eventually end up at their destination, which turns out to be a washed-up gambling town called Jackpot. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
Review
Heavily influenced by the style and themes of countercultural staples like Easy Rider and Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, Roadside Prophets is decent-enough entertainment. This hipster road movie has three things going wrong for it right away: It's coming straight out of the self-indulgent early '90s, it features rock stars as leading men, and most of the other characters are just celebrity cameos. However bad it may seem, this heavy-handed lesson in pop philosophy is harmless enough. At the very least, it's good nostalgia for the grunge era. One major asset is the lovely young Adam Horowitz as the goofy tagalong sidekick Sam. He's not only a pleasure to look at, but he creates a nice balance with the brooding biker chic of John Doe. The story itself is pretty shallow and easygoing, despite recurring attempts to create deep, existential moments. But the plot is secondary to the good-natured mood and fondness for offbeat characters. In addition to having a great name, Ms. Labia Mirage (Jennifer Balgobin) is an independent drifter with some snappy dialogue. Caspar (John Cusack) is a high-energy criminal who only steals food from restaurants. These are the kind of welcome eccentrics who pose no real threat, just pave the way for a gentle comedy. Roadside Prophets is just a lighthearted bit of Americana. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
Barton Heyman - Sheriff Durango; Jennifer Balgobin - Ms. Labia Mirage; John Cusack - Caspar; Bill Cobbs - Oscar; Lin Shaye - Celeste; Lee Arenberg - Happy Days Cook; Onice Bodozian - Four Jack Bartender; Harry Caesar - Jesse; Sonna Chavez - Angie Abbott; Don Cheadle - Happy Days Manager; Manny Chevrolet - Too Free Stooges Band Member; J.D. Cullum - Mr. Andres; Beth de Patie - Daisy; Flea - Too Free Stooges Band Member; Harty Grinner - Jackpot Motel 9 Employee; Hector - Ramblin Dog; Pam Lambert - Mini-Mart Cashier; Nancy Lenehan - Vegas Motel 9 Desk Clerk; Aaron Lustig - Morning Desk Clerk; Lena Madjerac - Kitty; David Anthony Marshall - Dave Coleman; Jeanne McCarthy - 1st Happy Days Waitress; Ed Pansullo - Hiram; Ellie Raab - Gloria; Nic Ratner - Casino Casualty; Erica Rogers - Housekeeper; Tony Ruglio - Too Free Stooges Band Member; Ebbe Roe Smith - Journalist; John Snyder - Hank; Gregory Sporleder - Deputy; David Swinson - Fred Neiman; Judith Thurman - Stripper; Patti Tippo - Casino Cashier; Viva Vinson - 2nd Waitress; Pete Weiss - Too Free Stooges Band Member; Biff Yeager - Bartender; Billy Ferrick - Too Free Stooges Band Member; Dick Rude - Too Free Stooges Band Member; Stephen Tobolowsky - Ranger Bob
Credit
Prudence Moriarty - Costume Designer, Laura Groppe - First Assistant Director, Francis R. Mahoney III - First Assistant Director, Abbe Wool - Director, Nancy Richardson - Editor, Nancy Israel - Executive Producer, Pray for Rain - Composer (Music Score), J. Rae Fox - Production Designer, Tom Richmond - Cinematographer, David Swinson - Producer, Peter McCarthy - Producer, Abbe Wool - Screenwriter
