It's enjoyable to watch, but _Detour_ doesn’t quite pack a punch. The ending feels rushed, like the creative team ran out of inspiration, which prevents the story and its people from feeling fully realized. Still, it has charm; occasionally, mood can be more important than what happens in the narrative.

It seems that appreciating this film noir requires an initial acceptance of its substandard performances. The acting is quite poor; Tom Neal appears unconvincingly weak, Ann Savage is genuinely irritating, and Claudia Drake delivers a remarkably stiff performance, making the experience one where you might deserve recognition simply for seeing it through. The story follows Tom Neal as he drives across the country, mak…

It feels like a grim, inescapable dream as Detour unfolds, and its brevity makes you wish it lasted longer. The narrative follows Al Roberts on a journey, presenting a series of incidents—accompanied by narration—that find him stranded in a desolate location, worried about what’s to come. The film has a consistently dark atmosphere, largely thanks to Tom Neal's subtle portrayal of Roberts and Ann Savage's memorabl…

I really loved this one. It ranks among my top choices in film noir, especially considering how little money they spent on it. Seeing it made me eager to explore all of Ulmer’s work and also to discover more films featuring Ann Savage. This is a true gem for anyone who enjoys seeking out unusual movies.