A Route 66 Comedy Documentary

The Road
Takes Its Cut

The dream is free. The road charges interest.

A film by Matt Cole

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4Comics

14Days

13Shows

12Cities

3,000Miles

Official Trailer

Hit the Road

The Story

Four Comics. One Highway.

Four comics drive 3,000 miles down Route 66, performing in forgotten rooms and asking what the American Dream looks like now, while the man who built the tour starts to come apart under the weight of keeping it alive.

At 46, comedian Matt Cole has spent more than a decade chasing stand-up without becoming the road comic he once imagined. After losing his job, he bets on something bigger: a 3,000-mile comedy tour down Route 66 with three other comics, 13 shows and cameras rolling.

They perform everywhere from dive bars to small-town rooms while interviewing locals, bartenders and fellow comics about what the American Dream means now. Their answers range from freedom and happiness to simply surviving.

Meanwhile, Matt’s carefully planned tour begins slipping beyond his control. Funny, intimate and unpolished, The Road Takes Its Cut is about the strange things we keep chasing, and what happens when the chase starts collecting its price.

The Comics

Who’s in the Car

Matt Cole

@MattColeComedy

A quick-witted, heartfelt comic with over a decade on stage at clubs like The Comedy Store, Brea Improv, Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club and Wiseguys, opening for Steve Treviño and Ralphie May. Chicago-born and Vegas-based, he hosts the Honest Ignorance Podcast and runs Punchlines With Purpose, a comedy series benefiting nonprofits.

Sean Williams

@SWcomedy

Over 14 years of stand-up rooted in his own life, turning everyday mishaps into unforgettable moments. A finalist in the Seattle International Comedy Competition, Sean wins crowds with relatable, real-world storytelling.

Adam Dominguez

@AdamJDominguez

A West Texas firecracker now tearing up Las Vegas with raw, fearless, unpredictable comedy. Credits include Laugh After Dark: Live in Las Vegas (Amazon Prime), HBO’s Hacks and OFtv’s LMAOF: Las Vegas. Winner of Funniest Person in the Universe (2023) and a featured performer at Skankfest Vegas.

Brad Gouldby

@Brad_Gouldby

Raised in small-town Mesquite, Nevada, and a force in Las Vegas comedy for over seven years. From a gritty dive bar to LA Comedy Club at The Strat, Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club and Wiseguys, he’s known for sharp crowd work, the Idaho Comedy Festival and two appearances on Kill Tony.

“I didn’t set out to make a film about the American Dream. I set out to go on tour. I didn’t expect the camera to turn back on me.” Matt Cole, Director

Why Now

America’s Main Street Turns 100

Route 66 was born on November 11, 1926. A century later, we drove it to ask the people who live along it what the American Dream means now.

Not experts or statistics: bartenders, comics, bar regulars and small-business owners. Their answers are smaller and more immediate than the old promise. Survival. Freedom. Family. Getting to do work you care about.

100Years of
Route 66