Though it treads more familiar ground than Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets, their previous blend of documentary and fiction, brothers Bill and Turner Ross’ Gasoline Rainbow still plays with the filmmaking process in intriguing, fruitful ways. Here, the oft-told story of disaffected teens seeking freedom out on the road gets a new vitality thanks to its location—these kids travel from a small Oregon town to the Pacific coast—and the verite performances from its five leads, all first-time actors playing versions of themselves. There’s nothing false about their dynamic, which is teasing at times but also warm and loving in an open-hearted way that feels unique to this emotionally intelligent generation. Meanwhile, the Ross brothers—who handle the cinematography and editing in addition to directing duties—manage some indelible images, even as they stay as inconspicuous as possible. They particularly take advantage of the kids’ rickety van speeding over a flat expanse of cracked, open desert, suggesting that the world is wide and full of possibility for their youthful travelers, at least in this fleeting moment.
(5/24/2024)
