"Monte Hellman's new movie is entitled Road to Nowhere. The title may bring a bittersweet smile to longtime fans of the brilliant director. Half sweet because it would be an apt moniker for most of his dark journeys, while the bitter half comes from the knowledge that the title could also describe a career that has resulted in great films, but with one near-exception has never resulted in the wide acclaim that he deserves. However, after seeing Road to Nowhere, Hellman fans will be smiling unambiguously with pleasure that this latest work represents a strong return to form for this unique filmmaker after over thirty years wandering in the filmmaking wilderness
The movie tells the twisty neo-noir tale of a film crew shooting a true crime saga about a massive scam that ended in multiple deaths. Things get messy when director Mitchell Haven chooses an unknown actress to star in his movie. Mitchell becomes increasingly obsessed with his enigmatic leading lady who may have a secret connection to the actual crime. Mitchell's obsession and her dangerous game lead them both down a rabbit hole from which there is no escape. However, no synopsis can do justice to the Chinese box-like structure of Hellman's work. Careful viewing is required to decipher which events are "real" and what is the film-within-the-film, with even the credits being playfully deceptive. At age seventy-nine, Hellman has created a powerful and haunting work that can stand with his best films "
The movie tells the twisty neo-noir tale of a film crew shooting a true crime saga about a massive scam that ended in multiple deaths. Things get messy when director Mitchell Haven chooses an unknown actress to star in his movie. Mitchell becomes increasingly obsessed with his enigmatic leading lady who may have a secret connection to the actual crime. Mitchell's obsession and her dangerous game lead them both down a rabbit hole from which there is no escape. However, no synopsis can do justice to the Chinese box-like structure of Hellman's work. Careful viewing is required to decipher which events are "real" and what is the film-within-the-film, with even the credits being playfully deceptive. At age seventy-nine, Hellman has created a powerful and haunting work that can stand with his best films "
- Dylan Skolnick Long Island Pulse Magazine