Desperation Road is a 2023 American action-thriller film directed by Nadine Crocker, adapted from the 2017 novel of the same name by Michael Farris Smith, who also wrote the screenplay. Distributed by Lionsgate, it was released in select theaters and on digital platforms on October 6, 2023, and is now available to stream. The film stars Garrett Hedlund, Willa Fitzgerald, Ryan Hurst, and Mel Gibson.
Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller
Movie Info: A woman and her young daughter get caught in the crossfire when whiskey, guns, and the desire for revenge violently intersect in a rough-and-tumble Mississippi town.
Quick Facts
| Title | Desperation Road |
| Type | Movie (Action / Crime / Thriller) |
| Director | Nadine Crocker |
| Based On | Desperation Road (2017 novel) by Michael Farris Smith |
| Release Date | October 6, 2023 (theaters & digital, via Lionsgate) |
| Composer | Haim Mazar |
| Soundtrack Release | November 17, 2023 (Gardener Recordings) |
| Where to Watch | Prime Video, Tubi (free), Apple TV |
Who Composed the Desperation Road Soundtrack?
Haim Mazar composed the score for Desperation Road. He’s an Israeli-born, Los Angeles-based film composer and music producer who grew up in Israel to parents of Iraqi and Polish descent, and began learning piano as a child at the Givatayim Music Conservatory. He went on to study at the Rimon School of Jazz and Contemporary Music before an exchange program brought him to Boston’s Berklee College of Music, where he discovered film scoring as a career path. Mazar’s other film credits include the biopic thriller The Iceman, Adam Robitel’s horror film The Taking of Deborah Logan, and the John Travolta action thriller I Am Wrath. He has also arranged and produced stage and fireworks shows for Disney Imagineering Parks, and teaches film-scoring classes at Berklee College of Music.
Desperation Road Soundtrack Track List
| # | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Desperation Road | 2:29 |
| 2 | Left Alone | 3:22 |
| 3 | The Assault | 1:08 |
| 4 | Self Defense | 2:50 |
| 5 | Home Sweet Home | 1:35 |
| 6 | You Don’t Have to Carry Me No More | 2:41 |
| 7 | Home Invasion | 1:38 |
| 8 | Saying Goodbye | 2:25 |
| 9 | Escape | 2:10 |
| 10 | Maben | 1:13 |
| 11 | Mississippi | 1:26 |
| 12 | Invisible Rope (feat. Christopher Lane) | 3:02 |
| 13 | It’s Gotta Hurt | 1:18 |
| 14 | Hospital Rush | 2:14 |
| 15 | Let It Fall | 1:49 |
| 16 | Epilogue | 3:50 |
All 16 tracks were composed and performed by Haim Mazar (with Christopher Lane featured on “Invisible Rope”). The Desperation Road (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) album was released digitally by Gardener Recordings on November 17, 2023 — about six weeks after the film itself opened.
Where to Stream Desperation Road
Desperation Road is streaming on Prime Video and free with ads on Tubi, or available to rent/buy on Apple TV and Fandango At Home. Haim Mazar’s score is available to stream on Apple Music, Spotify, and Amazon Music.
Cast
- Garrett Hedlund as Russell
- Mel Gibson as Mitchell
- Willa Fitzgerald as Maben
- Ryan Hurst as Larry
- Woody McClain as Boyd
Frequently Asked Questions
Who composed the Desperation Road soundtrack?
The score for Desperation Road was composed by Haim Mazar, an Israeli-born, Los Angeles-based film composer whose other credits include The Iceman and The Taking of Deborah Logan.
Is Desperation Road based on a true story?
No. It’s based on the 2017 novel Desperation Road by Michael Farris Smith, who also wrote the film’s screenplay.
When was Desperation Road released?
The film opened in select theaters and on digital platforms on October 6, 2023, via Lionsgate. Its soundtrack album followed separately on November 17, 2023.
Where can I watch Desperation Road?
It’s available to stream on Prime Video, stream free with ads on Tubi, or rent and buy on Apple TV and Fandango At Home.
Where can I listen to the Desperation Road soundtrack?
Haim Mazar’s original score is available on Apple Music, Spotify, and Amazon Music.
Related reading: Movie Soundtracks | Prime Video Soundtracks | Streaming Hub