John Krokidas' film explores the early life of Allen Ginsberg (Daniel Radcliffe),and how he came into contact with Lucien Carr (Dane DeHaan),Jack Kerouac (Jack Huston),and William Burroughs (Ben Foster). Through their association the ideas of the Beat Generation were born. The film starts off very promisingly, depicting Ginsberg's early life at home in Paterson, New Jersey, and his subsequent career at Columbia University. We understand something of he and his friends wanted to rebel against established conventions - not only literary but societal conventions. The 'official' view, as propounded by Professor Stevens (John Cullum) seems stuffy and old-fashioned. As the action progresses, however, so the film's priorities become diluted; rather than focusing on the genesis of the Beats, the action concentrates instead on the complex love-triangle involving Lucien, Allen and David Kammerer (Michael C. Hall). We are given the distinct suggestion all of three of them are emotionally immature, which thereby reduces the significance of their 'rebellion.' Matters are not helped by Radcliffe's rather colorless performance as Ginsberg - his expressions rarely change from being rather bemused as what's happening around him. A brave attempt at recreating the values of a previous generation, but the director seems to lose the courage of his convictions.

In 1942 Paterson, NJ Allen Ginsberg (Daniel Radcliffe) is trying to keep the peace between his cold poet father Louis (David Cross) and his unstable mother Naomi (Jennifer Jason Leigh). As a freshman in Columbia University, he befriends outgoing rebel Lucien Carr (Dane DeHaan) in the tradition bound atmosphere. He introduces Allen to his friends William Burroughs (Ben Foster),jealous David Kammerer (Michael C. Hall),and Jack Kerouac (Jack Huston) with his girlfriend Edie Parker (Elizabeth Olsen). They call themselves 'A New Vision' as they break away from the stifling restrictions of the university until it culminates into murder.

I'm not in love with John Krokidas' directing efforts. It's missing something. I don't like the attempt to add jazz into the style of the structure. It needs to raise the tension or emotion or something. The guys' murky relationships are a good start. Maybe it needs to show them having more sex. Something is not all there. I can't really pinpoint it.

What really works is the performances of Daniel Radcliffe and the brilliant Dane DeHaan. DeHaan is outstanding. Radcliffe has put Harry Potter behind him. I think the film could put more emotional acting on the screen. That again has to do with the directing. Certainly this is better and more coherent than 'On the Road'. It has great performances but a couple of things keep this from being great.

Daniel Racliffe takes up the part of notable poet Allen Ginsberg here, but I'm fairly certain most audience members of the Harry Potter generation will still see the little magician in him for years to come. So is this Radcliffe's big breakthrough movie as an adult. Not really. It's still a decent effort though and from the visual standpoint he's certainly a good choice for the character. Here he is truly interesting and somehow involved (though not directly) with his best friend murdering another man. This murder and everything surrounding it still serves as some kind of inspiration for Ginsberg.

We get to know a bit about his parents and a mental home, but this side-plot felt a bit out of place and certainly could have been omitted. Thumbs up, however, for Ben Foster, one of the most talented and unfortunately also most overlooked actors of his generation. I urge you to check out "The Messenger". His William S. Burroughs is a very fine performance and he almost steals the movie, a movie which is a bit of a first timer. Writer Austin Bunn hasn't written a film before and director John Krokidas has only done short films earlier in his career.

Having watched all Dexter season except the last, it's nice to see Michael C. Hall in a more vulnerable role for once. He does a decent job with his character and the whole homosexuality aspect is acted accurately by him. Also you can see how Ginsberg slowly transforms into Hall's character as the film progresses. He really becomes more useful than desired to the point where he even writes a defense statement for his lover who is already accused of murder at that point. The lover is played by Dane DeHaan who comes off like a psychopath just the way he is.

All in all, I can recommend this movie. It has little outstanding strengths, but it makes for a good watch. If you have seen and enjoyed Bertolucci's The Dreamers, you may like this as well. Sometimes it tries to be too extreme like the hanging scene, which wasn't really necessary, but mostly it's crafted nicely.