Review: 'The Short History Of The Long Road' Explores Loss, Family

Female-centric road films ("Thelma and Louise," "Wild," "American Honey," "Mad Max: Fury Road") often explore freedom, wanderlust, trauma, and self-discovery. "The Short History of the Long Road" is a moving and memorable road trip, a coming-of-age film by writer/director Ani Simon-Kennedy. Nola, a teen (Sabrina Carpenter), lives on the road out of a home-converted van, named "The Hulk," with her father, whom she calls Clint (Steven Ogg). The father-daughter premise feels evocative of Debra Granik's "Leave No Trace." Once tragedy occurs, Nola must survive on her own, with no job and little money.

With scenes showcasing daily life for the homeless – showering in a gym, Nola and Clint giving each other haircuts, eating in parking lots, hanging laundry out the windows and going through a car wash – the film is reminiscent of Kelly Reichardt's "Wendy and Lucy." The mobility and freedom of tiny homes are enticing. But as much as Clint wants to live off the grid on the road, their house was foreclosed. So living in the van is the only way they could afford to survive.

Nola and Clint have an effortless rapport. He's unconventional, charismatic, and nurturing. They sing oldies songs while driving. They're honest with one another. Although, as Nola discovers, Clint kept much from her, probably to protect her.

Nola exudes a quiet strength and resilience. She loves to read and she's frequently in libraries, which are often resting places for homeless people because of their safety and ubiquity. Nola vacillates between craving the freedom of a vagabond lifestyle and yearning for stability. The film realistically explores Nola's palatable grief. Sometimes she's fine; sometimes grief crashes over her like a wave. But it remains, like a specter.

Cailin Yatsko's cinematography eloquently encapsulates the excitement of travel and the humbling, awe-inspiring, majestic beauty of nature. Filmed and set in New Mexico, we see gorgeous frames of landscapes, sunsets and sunrises, and nighttime city lights. The open road beckons with possibilities.

Through her travels, Nola meets people: Marcie (Rusty Schwimmer), a religious woman with many foster children; Miguel (Danny Trejo), a compassionate mechanic who fixes Nola's van after it breaks down; and Blue (Jashaun St. John), a Navajo teen girl with an abusive father. Despite separate circumstances, Nola and Blue each have to take care of themselves. In an uncertain world, they share a beautifully tender, supportive friendship.

Nola dreams of reaching out to her mother, who left when she was a baby. The film straddles a delicate balance of showing the pain Nola feels over her mother's abandonment while not demonizing her mother Cheryl (Maggie Siff). It's rare to see a female character who doesn't want to be a mother, as society mandates women to want children. While not the same, the comfort Nola dreams of from her absent mother, she receives from her father and friendships.

The film poignantly captures the transience and precariousness of life; nothing ever stays the same. It explores the nature of family - that it's not always defined by the people you're related to. Yet, the ending is ultimately hopeful. Despite the tumult that life brings, Nola will find her way in the world.