Adopt a Highway

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2:06

Adopt a Highway

2019

1h 21m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

70%

Tomatometer

33 Reviews

67%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

When an ex-convict finds an abandoned baby in a dumpster, he gains a new lease on life, deciding to dedicate himself to making sure the child has a good life.

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Critics Consensus

Adopt a Highway might have done more to fill in its sparsely sketched story, but Ethan Hawke's performance is often enough to fill in the blanks.

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Tom Long

Detroit News

11/03/2019

B

"Adopt a Highway" is a warm, compassionate film in which Ethan Hawke spends much of his time talking honestly to a baby. Something about that offers a few rays of hope for cinema.

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Christy Lemire

FilmWeek (LAist)

11/01/2019

[Ethan Hawke] does the best he can with a character that is not terribly well-developed.

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Sheila O'Malley

RogerEbert.com

11/01/2019

2.5/4

Holding it all together is Hawke's performance, weighted down with the heaviness of injustice.

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Ryan McQuade

InSession Film

04/04/2024

Ethan Hawke gives another commanding performance...

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Jordy Sirkin

Jordy Reviews It

07/12/2020

Adopt a Highway is an emotional journey through heartbreak and reinvention, which also shares a harsh reminder of the reality our prison system serves to some.

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Renee Schonfeld

Common Sense Media

01/09/2020

3/5

Ethan Hawke excels in satisfying drama; some language.

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Sam H

11/08/2019

HAWke and a dumpsta baby what more do you need

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Armando O

@itemhavedumb Jul 19

Adopt a Highway: Honest Review (some spoilers) Saw the YouTube short with Ethan Hawke checking the dumpster and had to watch it. Quick take: 6/10, being generous. Ethan plays Russell, fresh out of 18 years in prison, working as a dishwasher. One night he finds a baby in the trash. At first he’s scared, but he starts to care for her and finally feels purpose. Then life hits hard again. The movie has heart and good moments with Hawke, but it feels like it’s missing pieces. It builds things up then drops them. Solid acting, but overall pretty forgettable. One-and-done watch. Like Oreos without milk — you want more.

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Henry D

@Henry_Domke Mar 12

A pleasant, low-key film with Ethan Hawke in nearly every scene. Warm and heartfelt, it unfolds like a good short story.

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Morgan B

@RT22953172 Nov 4

The movie was kind of short, seemed even shorter because he only had the baby for about 25 mins total of the movie. It was kind of slow, not what I expected.

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Victoria R

@Victoria791 Aug 31

Loved it. I saw a clip on instagram and being a big ethan hawke fan from his days acting in movies like really bites I was unaware of it. It may have not come to Australia being an independent film. Thought his performance was magnificent and the pace of the story was spot on, not to long or dragged out. Actually I kind of wanted more.

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barbara W

@RT09391560 05/24/2025

I'm a fan of true actors. Ethan Hawke is no exception. He hasn't disappointed so far and he definitely does not disappoint in this movie either. You feel his heart in this one. An excellent watch!

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Adopt a Highway: Trailer 1

2:06

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Synopsis

When an ex-convict finds an abandoned baby in a dumpster, he gains a new lease on life, deciding to dedicate himself to making sure the child has a good life.

Director: Logan Marshall-Green
Producer: Jason Blum, Greg Gilreath, Ethan Hawke, Ryan Hawke, Adam Hendricks, John H. Lang
Screenwriter: Logan Marshall-Green
Distributor: RLJE Films
Production Co: Divide/Conquer
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 1, 2019, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 1, 2019
Runtime: 1h 21m