REVIEW: ‘Sacramento (2025)’ Is A Rocky Road Trip

Sacramento (2025) premiered at the 2024 Tribeca Festival and met with a generally good reception. As the film traveled across the festival circuit, so did its characters traversing through California. This easy-going American road comedy film is directed by Michael Angarano, who wrote the screenplay with Chris Smith.

The story begins when Rickey (Angarano), an energetic and free-spirited young man with a Peter Pan complex, convinces his long-time friend Glenn (Michael Cera) to pause his blissful domestic life and embark on an impromptu road trip across California. Although they lead very different lives, they have a lot more in common than they think.

With the devastating California wildfires not far from memory, Sacramento (2025) provides a snapshot of the heart and capital of California through its stunning landscape shots of iconic spots. Filming locations included the historic Gunther’s Ice Cream Store, 35th Street,  Old Sacramento and the R Street Corridor.

More balance could have made this road trip worthy of remembering.

This is a rad love letter to the city and the Golden State, but it could’ve used slightly more b-roll of iconic Sacramento or California dives and gems. A good road trip movie tends to strike a balance of highlighting the locations the characters visit versus the story of the trip itself. At best, Sacramento (2025) invests about 20% in showing the locations and 80% in focusing on the characters. Angarano and Smith primarily highlight must-see spots at and between Los Angeles and Sacramento to some satisfying representation.

Sacramento (2025) nails the full-circle road trip vibes, having Rickey’s car from his teenage years bridge the gap between him and his reunited best friend. Typically, shared core memories are created in people’s first car, like wild rides with friends or a first kiss. This film plays on that nostalgia.

The movie falls apart with the overall chemistry of the main four characters. While this is geared towards a men’s road trip, especially with Rickey being single, Rosie (Kristen Stewart) doesn’t have much to do. The chemistry between Cera and Stewart feels almost non-existent. Taking into account the back-and-forth sarcasm, their dialogue together isn’t close to being believable that they’re a couple.

Cera and Stewart are strong actors, but their on-screen roles as a couple aren’t convincing. The best parts that force them to care about each other is how much Glenn attempts to keep calling Rosie at almost every possible opportunity he can. Another hint of kindness and heartwarming moments appears when Rosie cradles him when he’s on the brink of a panic attack. Cera and Stewart save the quality of their performances with these small details. More moments like this from beginning to end could’ve bolstered the believability of their on-screen relationship.

Michael Cera and Kristen Stewart are a mismatched pairing in Sacramento (2025).

For Angarano and Maya Erskine (Tallie), their on-screen back-and-forth is captivating. Whenever they’re monologuing, or the camera captures their facial reactions, they both understand how to bring out full, raw performances. Putting aside the actors being married to each other in real life, they heavily carry Sacramento. Even the chemistry between Cera and Angarano is reliant on Angarano, with Cera just going along for the ride. Cera’s best acting abilities come out when he goes full-tilt crazy, but it’s too little, too late.

Maybe the point is that Glenn and Rosie are a simple, unenthusiastic couple. However, there are better ways to portray grounded, straight-laced characters. For example, most recently in A Real Pain, Jesse Eisenberg expertly plays the responsible, quiet role well to let Kieran Culkin shine with his bombastic, frenetic acting skills. To a certain extent, Cera and Angarano sell the fact they’re estranged friends, but the payoff at the end isn’t deserved.

Sacramento (2025) is a pleasant homage to California and the Sacramento area that’s overshadowed by a mismatch of acting pairs. Looking past the unfortunate miscasting of Cera and Stewart for their roles, the film’s themes are strong, revolving around grief, parenthood, and friendship. Unfortunately, the awkward line reads distract from the lessons of the movie.

Sacramento (2025) releases in theaters April 11, 2025.