Please don't spend money on this.

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

I found this small movie on Netflix streaming, it apparently was released at several film festivals but never was in theaters.Robert Sheehan is Vincent and we are introduced to him at his mother's funeral. He says some very inappropriate things as the minister is speaking and we soon figure out he has Tourette's. His father, Robert Patrick as Robert, a politician running for office, appears to be at the end of his rope with Vincent and has arranged for him to placed in an institution for misfits.There he gets paired with Dev Patel as Alex, an OCD clean freak who strongly objects to having a roommate. And he is shown around by Zoë Kravitz as Marie who is rail thin and fighting Anorexia. The institution is run by Kyra Sedgwick as Dr. Mia Rose.Each of the three misfits need to resolve old issues and they get a chance as they are thrown into an unlikely road trip from the institution in Nevada to the Pacific Coast, where Vincent wants to carry his mother's ashes. He has a photo of her there and she seems the happiest to him.The road trip of course doesn't go smoothly, starting with their stealing Dr Rose's car but without money or an operating credit card. Their detour takes them through Yosemite National Park and the cinematographer dwelled nicely on scenes with Half Dome and the characters. They eventually work their way to Santa Cruz and in the process are able to learn how to gain some control over their respective issues.It is ironic for me, just 3 weeks ago I made my first visit to Santa Cruz for a mini-vacation and now I see it again in this movie!Not a great movie by any measure but very interesting if you like to see misfits trying to cope with ordinary life.

As one who has lived with Tourette's myself and as a parent, I was pleased at how accurately this was portrayed. Robert Sheehan was most impressive and expressive. This actor conveys such sad torture with his eyes whilst in the throes of episode, I just wanted to hug him. Though many with Tourette's display the tics and vocalizing rather than the verbal profanity often used to show example, this film got all angles right. The words of the father in regard to his son made me cry...the writer/director must have dealt with this in life as she got the raw emotion of this disorder from the eyes of both parent and child. The Tic Code starring Christopher Marquette and the late Gregory Hines is another revelation in film focusing on life with and the parenting of one with Tourette's. The way The Road Within ties together OCD, anorexia and Tourette's with these brilliant young performers had me wishing it had debuted bigger and they had received far more accolades for their work. Along with Robert Sheehan, Zoe Kravitz is a study in subtlety without being dull and Dev Patel is all palpable anxiety. Robert Patrick's guilty dad believably shows his true colors and Kyra Sedgwick makes an easy piece as caring clinical director her own. This film should be shown in psychology courses for study.

'THE ROAD WITHIN': Four and a Half Stars (Out of Five) A remake of the 2010 German drama flick 'VINCENT WANTS TO SEA'; about a teen with Tourette Syndrome, who befriends two other patients (one with OCD and one with anorexia) at the behavioral facility his dad enrolls him in. They steal their doctor's car and embark on a road trip together, to the coast. The film was written and directed by Gren Wells (in her directorial debut) and it stars Robert Sheehan, Dev Patel, Zoe Kravitz, Kyra Sedgwick and Robert Patrick. I enjoyed it immensely.Vincent (Sheehan) is a teenager, that's suffered from Tourette's disorder; most of his life. His mother, who he was very close to, recently passed away; and his father (Patrick), who he's long resented, wants to enroll him in a special clinic. Once there, he's roomed with Alex (Patel); a young British man, with obsessive compulsive disorder. Alex is furious that he has to share his room with another person, and he immediately takes a disliking to Vincent. Vincent also meets Marie (Kravitz), at the facility, who he's immediately attracted to. Marie has a severe eating disorder, and pretty much won't eat anything. After Marie and Vincent get into trouble, with their doctor (Sedgwick), they decide to steal her car and head to the coast; so Vincent can spread his mother's ashes there. When Alex catches them in the act, they kidnap him and take him along with them.The movie is equally funny and emotional. It's not overly heartbreaking though; as it has a lot of optimism, and a great deal of compassion (for it's characters). What I really love about the film, though, are the performances; Sheehan, Patel and Kravitz are all amazing in it (and Patrick and Sedgwick aren't bad either). I found the three lead characters to be all very likable, and relatable too, despite their flaws. It's a very touching and well made movie, especially for outsiders and misfits (like most great films are).Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wOi4IC8bxg

So I just finished watching this film and I would first like to say, if you're looking for an exciting and riveting plot; you've come to the wrong place. However, if you prefer a story with incredibly compelling characters played by incredibly talented actors, than you definitely need to watch this movie. Robert Sheehan, who plays Vincent, does a remarkable job portraying someone with Tourette's without going overboard. Although some of what he says during his ticks are funny, you can tell that they also cause him agony and they is shown through his facial expressions and his tone of voice. Similarly, Dev Patel who plays Alex does another remarkable job of playing someone with OCD (at least in my opinion). Zoe Kravitz's character is both witty and carefree but also intensely tragic. I believe this movie has a good combination of feel good moments and moments where you truly empathize with the characters. Though the concept of a road trip plot is slightly overdone, the landscapes are beautiful and the three young actors have a way of keeping you interested and entertained the entire time. You find yourself wanting to know all of them on an even deeper level which I believe is quite telling of how compelling they are. There were moments that were difficult to watch and made me a bit emotional while there were also scenes where I laughed out loud. It really gives you a perspective on what it is like with a mental illness, especially as a teenager and the complications that they cause. Overall, not a perfect flick but Kravitz, Patel, and Sheehan are definitely worth checking this film out.