Peter (Doug McGrath) and Joey (Paul Bradley) are two amiable young men from Nova Scotia who are yearning for greener pastures. They pack up and head out west, to Toronto. But instead of being able to realize hopes and dreams, they find it very hard to eke out a living. It further complicates things when Joey reveals that he's gotten his girlfriend Betty (Jayne Eastwood) pregnant. The three of them end up living together, and it just gets harder and harder for them to make money. Then Peter and Joey hatch a desperate plan to get some food on the table.
"Goin' Down the Road" is a real marvel of low budget filmmaking, filmed for an estimated 87,000 Canadian dollars. It has an ever present sense of melancholy as the two heroes think that maybe their dead end lives in the Maritimes weren't so bad after all. The film is also a remarkable snapshot of Toronto at the beginning of the 70s, sights, sounds, and everything. The compelling story was concocted by producer & director Donald Shebib ("Between Friends", "Heartaches") and his fellow Canadian filmmaker, the cult favourite William Fruet ("Death Weekend", "Funeral Home", "Killer Party"), and it holds your interest, wondering what will become of Peter and Joey; some viewers might fear the worst.
Considered by my fellow countrymen to be one of the definitive, iconic Canadian films (which got spoofed on SCTV in the 80s), this is anchored by believable, engaging performances by McGrath and Bradley. McGrath you might recognize from the original "Black Christmas", "Porky's", or "Pale Rider". Bradley sadly died in 2003; his other credits include "American Nightmare", "Stone Cold Dead", and "The Hard Part Begins". Eastwood later turned up in the "Dawn of the Dead" remake. They all create vivid characters who do earn our sympathies.
Music plays a big part in the effectiveness of the narrative. The songs were composed and performed by a very young Bruce Cockburn, whose later hits include "Wondering Where the Lions Are" and "Lovers in a Dangerous Time".
This definitely comes recommended, and not just to Canadian viewers.
Shebib reunited with McGrath, Eastwood, and co-star Cayle Chernin 40 years later for "Down the Road Again".
Eight out of 10.