Gasoline Rainbow sees a bunch of American teenagers hitting the road, Kerouac-style, in a search for meaning – or at least a few good memories. Their journey takes them from their quiet Oregon hometown through Portland’s hipster haven and on to the coast. They meet up with all sorts of kind-hearted outcasts along the way, from daytime moshers and ageing skate gurus to a pair of young punks who teach them how to ride the rails.

Like the Ross Brothers’ previous film Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets, this is not a documentary, but it is big on authenticity. It’s shot in a close-up, handheld-heavy way that lends it the clumsy heft of reality. The main cast – Tony Abuerto, Micah Bunch, Nichole Dukes, Nathaly Garcia, Makai Garza – are all acting under their real names and, you suspect, bringing a lot of their real selves to the screen.

Sometimes, the under-scripted nature of Gasoline Rainbow works against it. The revelations on offer, while affectingly earnest, might not feel all that insightful to anyone who isn’t 18. The pacing can be a bit meandering too, although it does accurately capture the ebb and flow of a long trip. One minute they’re singing at the top of their lungs, the next they’ve slumped back into a weary silence. By the end, you’re left feeling a lot like the group probably will when they look back on their adventure. It’s hard to say how profound the whole experience was, though it sure was fun while it lasted.

Released 31 May by MUBI; certificate tbc