Don’t Make Me Go was recently released on Prime Video and is about a father-daughter road trip after Max, the father, learns he has a terminal illness. Max decides not to tell his daughter, Wally, the real reason why they're making this trip, and it's from this withholding of information that the true melodrama starts.
Don't Make Me Go is a classic road trip-style movie where the journey is far more important than the destination, and the growth the characters find within themselves is the true point of the movie. Even with the 2020s in their early years, there has already been a fair number of "road trip movies" that examine these exact topics.
She's In Portland (2020) 5.7
She's in Portland is a movie about two old friends who, envying each other's lives, take a road trip to find "the one that got away." Through the course of their road trip, the two men bond and rekindle their friendship that doesn't rely on machismo for the two men to be taken seriously.
She's in Portland is a movie about two men's friendship that is not typically seen on screen. Many movies with two male leads rely on stunts and heavy action, whereas She's in Portland relies on the two men's budding friendship and the lessons they learn along the way. Taking place along the Pacific Coast Highway, viewers will be stunned by the gorgeous views the pair stop at along the way.
Stop And Go (2021) 5.9
In this hilarious comedy, two sisters take a cross-country trip to rescue their grandma from a Covid outbreak at her nursing home. This movie was created during the Coronavirus pandemic and very much showcases the fear that many people had in interacting with others during this time.
Despite their circumstances, the sisters find humor in their situation that doesn't quite land with all viewers. It's true that while the entire human race went through the pandemic, it doesn't necessarily mean it can be joked about with much success. Despite this, the film certainly has its moments of whimsy and is a great movie to while the time away with.
Unpregnant (2020) 6.4
Apropos of the time, Unpregnant is about two teenage girls, Bailey (Barbie Ferreira) and Veronica (Haley Lu Richardson) who embark on a harrowing and emotional, yet hilarious journey to another state to be able to obtain an abortion without requiring parental permission. Along the way, they are accosted by pro-lifers and policemen and get a ride from an anti-government survivalist.
While this movie deals with heavy topics, it's done so with comedic timing and heart and doesn't skirt around the reality of Veronica's situation. The film is a great true road trip style movie with many obstacles thrown their way, as is typical of the genre. It very much gives Booksmart and even Superbad vibes in a way that makes a difficult situation funny.
The Man In The Hat (2020) 6.4
The Man in the Hat is a beautifully cinematic film that has almost no dialogue, as the speaking is done through music. It's a classic road trip movie that, in the words of Ciarán Hinds, who plays the main character, "won't take too much of your time... you can just be a human being and watch this little journey and feel things."
The Man in the Hat is beautifully orchestrated with music instead of prose, simple yet emotional scenes like a man eating olives out of a jar that'll have viewers reaching for the Kleenex and the small moments that make humans, human. It's the type of movie that is simply experienced rather than relying on stunts or heavy action to make it memorable. It just is.
Dog (2022) 6.5
Starring Channing Tatum as Briggs, Dog is about an Army Ranger who suffers from PTSD and isn't eligible for service. To get on his commanding officer's good side, he agrees to take an aggressive dog, Lulu, to his late partner's funeral. Through their hilarious and sometimes scary interactions, Briggs and Lulu learn more than they ever thought they could have from each other.
The film is inspired by true events that Tatum experienced with his own dog. Viewers have become weary of movies with dogs as it seems that they are destined for a bitter end, however, the marketing for Dog assured viewers that the dog does not indeed die, which made viewers keener to watch.
The Trip To Greece (2020) 6.6
The Trip to Greece is a comedy film following fictionalized versions of two actors, Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon, as they traverse the steps of Odysseus from Troy to Ithaca. It's the fourth installment in the franchise, following The Trip to Italy, The Trip to Spain, and the original iteration centered in England.
Along with the hilarious banter between Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon, viewers are dazzled with gorgeous shots of the delectable food the pair dine on throughout their journey. The movie released at the start of the 2020 pandemic and was an outlet for people to "travel" without actually leaving their homes.
Supernova (2020) 6.8
Starring Colin Firth and Stanley Tucci, Supernova is about Sam (Firth, in arguably one of his best movies of all time) and Tusker (Tucci) embarking on a road trip through the English countryside after Tusker has been diagnosed with early-onset dementia. Similar to Still Alice, this movie explores the grief, heartache, and denial of losing a loved one before they're even gone.
Though the film was ultimately snubbed by the awards circuit, it shows an achingly accurate portrayal of dementia and the trials and tribulations the couple face through their hardships. The two leads give a performance of a lifetime that will leave viewers remembering their characters more than the specifics of the film.
Hit The Road (2021) 7.3
Hit the Road is an Iranian comedy/drama about a family driving to the Turkish border to smuggle their eldest son out of the country. Despite the often comedic moments of the movie, there is a constant note of fear running through everyone in the film but the young boy, who hasn't been told the truth about why his older brother is leaving Iran.
Hit the Road was met with critical acclaim and was director Panah Panahi's debut film. The film is shot almost exclusively from the inside of the car and uses humor as a way to keep the family from falling too far into anguish and heartbreak, though it is there just below the surface.
Nomadland (2020) 7.3
After being a smash success on the film festival circuit, Nomadland went on to win Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress (Frances McDormand) at the Academy Awards. Based on a non-fiction book, Fern (McDormand), recently widowed and unemployed, sets off in a newly acquired van around the U.S. to live as a nomad.
Throughout her travels, she meets fellow nomads who teach her valuable lessons about living on the road as well as invaluable lessons about life, death, love, and family. Nomadland is meant to show what real American life can look like without glamorizing it the way Hollywood has been known to do.
C'mon C'mon (2021) 7.4
In this heartwarming and earnest film, Joaquin Phoenix impresses as an uncle who forges a bond with his young nephew, Jesse, who he hasn't seen in over a year. When Jesse's mom asks Johnny (Phoenix) to come and stay with Jesse, and when she needs to extend her trip, Johnny and Jesse start a cross-country road trip together.
Shot completely in black and white, this movie is not about the end goal, but about the journey, and the lessons Johnny and Jesse learn along the way. Viewed through the eyes of a child, and through the eyes of an adult, it asks viewers to reflect on the circumstances in their own life and if it's possible to move on.