‘The Road to Freedom’ Doesn’t Feel Authentic

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Rating: 2.5/5.0

CHICAGO – The story of Sean Flynn – son of the legendary Errol Flynn, perpetrator of B-movies in the early 1960s, game warden in Kenya and finally war correspondent during the Vietnam conflict – would rate enough material for a 10-hour mini-series. Only his disappearance is covered in “The Road to Freedom.”

Flynn, who famously first came to light during a vicious custody battle between his mother Lili Damita and father Errol Flynn, probably deserves a better narrative treatment than the soft soap that is “The Road to Freedom.” He is written and portrayed rather blandly, and the road he does travel as a reporter in war-torn Cambodia is paved with what looks like the same five soldiers of the Khmer Rouge regime.

Joshua Fredric Smith portrays Flynn, who is characterized by his roguish looks and reporter’s instinct. It is learned that he will go the extra mile to get the story, and his photos and writings have appeared in Time Magazine, the UPI and Paris-Match. On April 7, 1970, Flynn and photojournalist Dana Stone (Scott Maguire) rode their motorcycles into the Cambodian war zone to what they thought was an abandoned roadblock. It was there that they were presumably captured (although official reports are vague).

Joshua Fredric Smith as Sean Flynn and Scott Maguire as Dana Stone  in ‘The Road to Freedom’
Joshua Fredric Smith as Sean Flynn and Scott Maguire as Dana Stone in ‘The Road to Freedom’
Photo credit: bajan Vista Productions

Forced into isolation, they are harassed and starved. It is only through a sympathetic Cambodian family man, Lim Po (Nhem Sokun), also in custody, that they might find a means to escape. Throughout the rest of the ordeal Flynn and Stone are marked men, and despite the help from their in-country ally, they disappear and are never heard from again.

This is a presumptive and fictional story, in reality there are many scenarios that have arisen from the legend of Flynn and Stone’s journey. Sean Flynn, as portrayed by Smith is a low-key optimist, which seems a bit different from the flighty adventurist drawn in reality. This is a wild and risky ride into danger, but as portrayed it has no desperation to it. This may have been just another assignment, but maybe Flynn and Stone were the only two crazy enough to do it. There is no indication of that darkness in the retelling.

There are several situational parts that don’t ring true. The Cambodians that Flynn and Stone encounter mostly speak English, which is unlikely. And when they do speak, there are a couple of political speeches that belong in a manifesto, not on a bamboo mat in the middle of a war zone. Also strange was the emphasis on the Bible, which Stone makes use of many times. It was so distracting that it may have been thrown in as a condition of financing for the film.

Another diverting attribute was the obvious budgetary limitations the production encountered. Although filmed on location in Cambodia, the casting and set piece limitations made the whole drama very small. It becomes obvious, for example, that the same five actors play Khymer Rouge soldiers, and the character of Lin Po becomes a little confusing when put into the mix. When budget limitations are apparent on-screen, then the story has to fight that much more to assert itself.

On the Run: A Scene from ‘The Road to Freedom’
On the Run: A Scene from ‘The Road to Freedom’
Photo credit: bajan Vista Productions

There are some salient aspects to the production. Flynn has nightmares during his captivity, and they are fraught with psycho-sexual horror. The last one in particular is memorable and director Brendan Moriarty evokes a chilling emotion from it. The use of location is notable as well, as this was produced by an American-Cambodian cooperation.

Reproducing a true event is a tricky proposition. Any deviation from a sense of reality and the whole enterprise can run out of steam. With a hot subject like Sean Flynn, the kettle should have been boiling and whistling, instead of just sighing.

“The Road to Freedom” continues its limited release in Chicago beginning October 3rd. See local listings for theaters and show time. Featuring Joshua Fredric Smith, Scott Maguire, Tom Proctor and Nhem Sokun. Screenplay by Margie Rogers, directed by Brendan Moriarty. Rated “PG-13”

HollywoodChicago.com senior staff writer Patrick McDonald

By PATRICK McDONALD
Senior Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
pat@hollywoodchicago.com

© 2011 Patrick McDonald, HollywoodChicago.com

Manny be down's picture

The Road to freedom

to me this was a road to nowhere I did not enjoy this film

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