The boy is played by Kodi Smith-McPhee matching the others, even at his young age. The pair of them travel and stumble into harrowing and bleak adventures and challenges as they go, often life-threatening. But the film, through all this, has a message of hope for humanistic, moral principles - mainly voiced and projected through the young boy.
John Hillcoat is the director and has brought this to the screen from the highly-regarded novel of the same name by Cormack McCarthy (which I have not read but now feel the urge to do so). He visually paints a picture of low-level despair and hopelessness, where sadness prevails as the pair of them regularly consider shooting themselves as the food runs out, before they starve to death. But it’s also a story about the resolve and resourcefulness of human nature, driven through this barren potential by the deep-rooted bond of love between father and son.
Charlize Theron pops up now and again during flashbacks as their wife and mother, who sadly for them met her end before we join the story. Guy Pearce flies in with a cameo, as does Robert Duvall. Everyone plays their part in a manner supporting the grim outlook reflected in the excellent cinematography, often with huge wide-angled, grey land/seascapes. It’s a hugely atmospheric film which will make the viewer think, long after the credits roll - and well worth a look. It’s available as I write from most streaming services in one form or another.
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