On the Road (film) is adapted from a novel written by an American novelist and poet.
Jack Kerouac ( [ ˈkɛruˌæk ] or [ ˈkɛrəˌwæk ] , born Jean-Louis Lebris de Kérouac ; March 12 , 1922 -- October 21 , 1969 ) was an American novelist and poet . On the Road (film) . It is an adaptation of Jack Kerouac 's 1957 novel of the same name and stars an ensemble cast featuring Garrett Hedlund , Sam Riley , Kristen Stewart , Alice Braga , Amy Adams , Tom Sturridge , Danny Morgan , Elisabeth Moss , Kirsten Dunst , and Viggo Mortensen .