Back Roads

2019 1h 41m EN

😐

5.9

MID

★5.9TMDB · 64

CrimeDramaThriller

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A young man cares for his younger sisters after their mother is imprisoned for murdering their abusive father. When he strikes up an affair with a married woman, long-dormant family secrets bubble to the surface.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Alex Pettyfer
Harley Altmyer
Jennifer Morrison
Callie Mercer
Nicola Peltz
Amber Altmyer
Chiara Aurelia
Misty Altmyer
Hala Finley
Jody Altmyer
June Carryl
Betty
Juliette Lewis
Bonnie Altmyer
Robert Patrick
Chief Mansour

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Alex Pettyfer
Writers: Tawni O'Dell, Adrian Lyne
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

Released 7 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Alex Pettyfer, shot by Jarin Blaschke. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by John Hunter. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Kant Pan shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Alex Pettyfer and Jennifer Morrison and Nicola Peltz carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0972544 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

Only 64 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Alex Pettyfer directs. Jarin Blaschke behind the camera. John Hunter scores. Kant Pan cuts. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 7 years ago.
2Directed by Alex Pettyfer, shot by Jarin Blaschke. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by John Hunter. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Kant Pan shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Alex Pettyfer and Jennifer Morrison and Nicola Peltz carry the top of the cast.
6IMDB entry: tt0972544 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
7Only 64 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Cinematography: Jarin Blaschke
Original score: John Hunter
Editing: Kant Pan
Production design: Margaux Rust
Costume design: Jayme Bohn
Makeup / hair: Chelsea Barber
VFX supervisor: Stuart Pitcher
Sound: Ben Baird
Stunt coordinator: Jeff Galpin
Runtime: 101 min · 1h 41m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: EN
IMDB: Back Roads (2019)

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Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

Wuchak2021-03-03
★ 6/10
Gloomy and painful drama about a fudged-up family in the Eastern sticks After a mother (Juliette Lewis) goes to prison for shooting her husband in a backwater town in the Eastern USA, a young man (Alex Pettyfer) has to forsake college and take care of his three younger sisters, including a teenage hellion (Nicola Peltz). Meanwhile a wife who lives down the lane catches his interest (Jennifer Morrison). "Back Roads" (2018) is a melancholy psychological family drama with a crime element that could be classified as Southern Gothic. While the events take place in Western Pennsylvania they could occur in any backwater community in the Eastern USA or Canada. The film was shot in St. Francisville, Louisiana, which is a half-hour drive north of Baton Rouge along the Mississippi. Films that come to mind include “Mud” (2012), “Joe” (2013), "Winter's Bone" (2010), “Undertow” (2004), "Snow Angels" (2007), “Monster’s Ball” (2001) and “The Fugitive Kind” (1960). The flick leaves you with a bad taste because it deals with some ugly things and features painful emotions, not to mention it’s unrelentingly gloomy. If you think your family growing up was dysfunctional, you ain’t seen nothing. But, if you reflect on the movie and the understated clues, everything makes sense and is well-written, based on Tawni O'Dell 1999 novel. Just don’t expect a pleasant time. The film runs 1 hour, 41 minutes. GRADE: B-/C+
guns.razors.knives2026-03-22
★ 8/10
The emotional weight of this movie is impeccable, for the two oldest Altmyer children, in your mind you know that they are commiting acts out of the ordinary and may be frowned upon, but considering the fact that they are products of their not-so-sweet upbringing, you can't help but think of nothing but sorrow. The film is not an intensely gripping thriller but there's that element of allure that just keeps you glued to the screen, even though a little predictable, you never really really know what you're going to into in the next scenes. The main characters are messed up, that's just it, but little Jodie is the glimmer of hope for me. 3.899/5 rating