The Short History of the Long Road

The Short History of the Long Road is a 2019 American drama film, written and directed by Ani Simon-Kennedy. It stars Sabrina Carpenter, Steven Ogg, Danny Trejo, Maggie Siff and Rusty Schwimmer.

It had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 27, 2019. It was released on June 12, 2020, by FilmRise.

Plot
Teenage Nola (Carpenter), has spent much of her life on the open road with her self-reliant father (Ogg). The pair crisscross the United States in a refurbished RV, making ends meet by doing odd jobs. A shocking rupture, though, casts Nola out on her own. She makes her way to Albuquerque, New Mexico, in search of her mother, who she never knew. When her motorhome unexpectedly breaks down, Nola forges a bond with an auto body shop owner (Trejo).

Cast

 * Sabrina Carpenter as Nola
 * Steven Ogg as Clint, Nola's dad
 * Danny Trejo as Miguel
 * Maggie Siff as Cheryl, Nola's mom
 * Rusty Schwimmer as Marcie
 * Jashaun St. John as Blue
 * Jackamoe Buzzell as Security Guard

Production
In August 2018, it was announced Sabrina Carpenter, Steven Ogg, Danny Trejo, Maggie Siff, Rusty Schwimmer and Jashaun St. John had joined the cast of the film, with Ani Simon-Kennedy directing from a screenplay she wrote.

Reception
The film received generally positive reviews. On the review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes the film has a score of, with an average rating of based on  critics. The site's critical consensus reads, "A potential breakout vehicle for its writer-director as well as its star, The Short History of the Long Road finds fresh byways along its well-traveled path." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 60 out of 100, based on seven critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".

Variety praised Carpenter's performance, stating that she "permeated the screen with an astutely soulful quality that's tough to turn away from."

Release
It had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 27, 2019.