DbcultAccessing Vault...
6.3/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.3/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. The Wrong Road remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you have a thing for old Greek cinema or just really love stories about small-town gossip, you might get a kick out of The Wrong Road. But honestly, if you are looking for something fast or modern, you should probably skip it. It moves at the pace of a slow summer afternoon in a village where nobody has a car.
The whole thing hinges on the contrast between Christina and Chrysoula. One is 'ugly but honest' and the other is 'beautiful but trouble.' It is a classic setup, maybe a little too classic. It reminds me of the rigid social expectations you see in films like The Morals of Marcus, where everyone is just waiting for someone else to mess up so they can talk about it.
Sometimes the movie tries way too hard to make you pick a side. You are supposed to like Christina because she is the 'good' one, but she is actually kind of boring. Chrysoula is the one you end up watching, even when the camera isn't pointed at her.
The dialogue can be a bit stiff. It is like they are reciting lines from a play rather than talking like real teenagers in Zakynthos. There are moments where the film hits a groove, usually when the background characters start bickering, but then it drifts off again into heavy moralizing.
It is not as tight as Come and Get It!, that is for sure. The structure is loose, and some scenes just kind of end without a point. Maybe that is the point? Probably not. It is just an imperfect, dusty relic that has a few interesting shots of the island.
I found myself looking at the background extras more than the leads. There is this one guy in the back of a market scene who is clearly just waiting for the director to yell 'cut' so he can get a drink. He looks more tired than the plot itself. 🌴
It is a weird little watch. Not great, but not a total disaster either. Just don't go in expecting anything profound or life-changing. It is just a story about two girls taking different paths, and sometimes, the road is just a bit too long.
IMDb 8.5
1933
Community
Log in to comment.
