Do not expect to walk out of The Road with a smile on your face. After watching this grim outlook of a post-apocalyptic future, you may require a large tub of ice cream and a marathon of Family Guy to lift your spirits. The Road is an undeniably depressing movie, but for viewers who have the emotional stamina to endure the film, it ultimately provides an incredibly powerful and moving tale of the bond between a father and son.

The Road, a film based on a Cormac McCarthy novel of the same name, takes place in a dystopian future, where an unnamed disaster has left the world in ruins. Nearly all living things have been destroyed, and the landscape is colored with a bleak, gray hue. The film focuses on a father (Viggo Mortensen, The Lord of the Rings) and son (Kodi Smit-McPhee, Nightmares and Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King) who are traveling to the southern coast in hopes of finding some means of survival. This journey is never easy, as the boy and his father constantly battle starvation and encounter unfriendly people along the way; the apocalypse has harshly warped the few remaining survivors, and some have even turned to cannibalism.

If this film were without its redeeming qualities, it would be unbearable to watch. Fortunately, The Road is able to tug at the viewer’s heartstrings by illustrating the close relationship shared by the boy and his father, who are glimmers of hope in this gloomy world. Their unconditional love for each other gives them the strength they need to keep on going.

 As written in McCarthy’s novel, we never even learn the names of the boy and his father, yet we develop intense feelings of sympathy for their misfortune, and throughout the movie, their simple gestures of love warm our hearts. In one touching scene, the father scavenges a vending machine and miraculously discovers one remaining can of Coke. He selflessly gives it to the boy, who is excited with this unfamiliar drink, but after a few sips and despite his father’s refusal, he insists that his father enjoy the soda as well. In the real world, this interaction would appear to be nothing more than common courtesy, but in the context of this desolate wasteland, where any food or water is few and far between, the genuine care and concern that they share for each other is uplifting.

The outstanding performances by its lead and supporting actors also carry The Road to success. Mortensen is perfect as the reassuring but vulnerable father, and his role in this film further establishes his versatility as an actor after playing roles as diverse as a mythical warrior and a Russian mobster. Mortensen is able to seamlessly convey the conflicting emotions of a father who is struggling to care for his son in these difficult times and is on the brink of losing hope. He provides a sincere comfort to his son, while ruthlessly trying to protect him from danger, but when alone, he sorrowfully mourns the loss of his wife, the desperation in his voice as he narrates the film being key.

Despite being a largely unknown child actor, Smit-McPhee is impressive in his role as the boy, and through his character, he is able to exemplify the good nature of human beings. The boy earnestly wants to help every survivor they come in contact with, even when that means personally sacrificing their own scarce supplies. Supporting actors Charlize Theron (The Italian Job) and Robert Duvall (The Godfather) are also effective in their minor roles as the man’s wife and as an old man they meet on the road.

Under the direction of John Hillcoat, The Road’s translation from book to film is a great success. Hillcoat is able to superbly carry out McCarthy’s dark vision of the apocalypse, and the gloomy scenery helps set the proper mood. Aside from the narration and the sequencing of flashbacks, the film is extremely faithful to the book. This proves to be a good thing, as the Putlizer prize-winning novel is a masterpiece in its own right.

McCarthy’s previous novel, No Country for Old Men, became the Best Picture film of 2007, and in bringing The Road to the big screen, filmmakers have created another potential Oscar nominee. Like No Country for Old Men, viewers should note that this film is dark, and although the journey is heart wrenching to watch, its conclusion is emotionally rewarding.