Get the MovieNight app
Add it to your home screen — faster & full screen
Get the MovieNight app
Add it to your home screen — faster & full screen
Head Gear Films
Not part of a collection.
A musical journey from the Scottish Highlands to the southern US.
Peter McGinn
Apr 3, 2020 · via TMDB
Dirt Road to Lafayette is a low key film about grief, and using music to work through it. It follows teenager Murdo as he travels from Scotland to Alabama following the death of his mother. Murdo plays the accordion, but the tragic disruption in his life has caused him to set it aside for a while. It starts out as a sort of road movie, then, before settling down a bit. During a lull in the trip by bus to Alabama, Murdo hears accordion music being played. He seeks it out and finds Queen Monzee-ay, a regionally well-known cajun singer performing. He gets to know her and she invites him to perform with her in an upcoming event. Her attention and his experience with her people awakens Murdo's interest in his music. This causes a slight rift between him and his father, who out of good intentions is perhaps a bit controlling of his son. I really enjoyed this movie. The story is strong and told simply. No flashbacks or dream sequences - what we get is a drama about grief and family, strong characters in an ensemble cast, and a lot of music. It doesn't hurt that I really enjoy Cajun music. If I could suggest anything, I would like to have seen a bit more conversation between father and son. There is a lot of silent staring and halting tidbits which do convey their sense of loss. But as someone who lost my father and a brother at a young age, and whose family didn't talk a lot about it either, I felt I could almost have written some strong scenes of dialogue to show more character growth. But that is a minor observation. I would recommend the film to anyone, as long as they also enjoy or at least tolerate the music.
User reviews courtesy of TMDB.
Amazon Video
Fandango At Home
Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Prime Video with Ads
Amazon Video
Fandango At Home
David O'Hara
Tom
Margo Moorer
Queen Monzee-ay
David Hayman
Uncle John
Jill Jane Clements
Aunt Maureen
Randall Newsome
Declan
Pablo Esparza
Diego
Lucius Baston
Wee Thin Guy
Deneen Tyler
Aunt Edna
Sharon Blackwood
Josie Arnott
Compton Ross
Executive Producer
Phil Hunt
Executive Producer
Marcus Lyle Brown
Producer
Raro
A Menina que Nunca Viu o Mar
Paris, Texas
Wild Strawberries
All the Songs We Never Sang
Patty Is Such a Girly Name
To Kill a Mockingbird
La Strada
Logan
Into the Wild
The Grapes of Wrath
Rain Man
The Straight Story
Little Miss Sunshine
Boyz n the Hood
Boogie Nights
Harold and Maude
Night on Earth
East of Eden
Rebel Without a Cause
As Good as It Gets
Ladies of the '80s: A Divas Christmas
Pleasantville
Big
The Outsiders
Field of Dreams
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
Salvador
You Will Die at Twenty
Two for the Road
The Tin Drum
Transamerica
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
Le Mans
Ìjọ̀gbọ̀n
The Sugarland Express
The People's Joker
Lola and the Sea
The Reivers
The Starling Girl
The Enormity of Life
The Birth of a Nation
I Don't Love You Anymore
Boy Saint
Michael
Alexander: The Other Side of Dawn
The Bug Killer
Sharp Stick
Survived By
Living at 100 Miles an Hour
Piecht
DUTY?
The Nights
Gestern war noch Sommer
The Sex Act
Summer Interlude
Somos infinitos
Into the Wild
Dancer in the Dark
Rain Man
The Straight Story
Aftersun
Almost Famous
Ray
Nebraska
Minari
Nomadland
Unsung Hero
The Doors
Love & Mercy
Five Easy Pieces
Scarecrow
A River Runs Through It
Black Snake Moan
The Outrun
Rob Roy
Back to Black
Fancy Dance
The Etruscan Smile
Undertow
Montana Story
© 2025-2026 MovieNight. All rights reserved.
Versus
Sign in to play →
I Cover the Waterfront
1933
The Tracker
2002
Sign in to vote
Battle your watched movies head-to-head
Community Top Movies
Evil Dead II
1987 · 14 wins
The Dark Knight
2008 · 14 wins
Halloween
1978 · 13 wins
Final Destination
2000 · 12 wins
Halloween II
1981 · 11 wins
Trivia
Leaderboard →Playing as a guest — sign in to save your score and rank on the leaderboard.
Movie Trivia
Guess the movie from a clue — tagline, plot, cast and more. Pick from four posters.
What movie experience do you prefer?
What is your favorite movie genre?
Versus
Sign in to play →
I Cover the Waterfront
1933
The Tracker
2002
Sign in to vote
Battle your watched movies head-to-head
Community Top Movies
Evil Dead II
1987 · 14 wins
The Dark Knight
2008 · 14 wins
Halloween
1978 · 13 wins
Final Destination
2000 · 12 wins
Halloween II
1981 · 11 wins
Trivia
Leaderboard →Playing as a guest — sign in to save your score and rank on the leaderboard.
Movie Trivia
Guess the movie from a clue — tagline, plot, cast and more. Pick from four posters.
What movie experience do you prefer?
What is your favorite movie genre?
We use essential cookies to run MovieNight, plus analytics (Google Analytics) and advertising (Google AdSense) cookies. By continuing to browse, you agree to this — or click No and we won't. See our Terms & Privacy Policy to learn more.