Viewed in
2007
Premise
Based on the novel of a real story, a college graduate forsakes all of his material belongings and decides to wander America, ending up in Alaska to live off the land.
Who should watch
Those who enjoy an epic, meandering, cornucopia of Americana journey with some emotional punch.
Thoughts
I had not read the novel, nor was I familiar with the real-life story of this interesting young man. There was lots to like about this film, everything from the acting to the music to the cinematography.
The one thing that bugged me was that I did not find Emile Hirsch's character charismatic enough to understand why so many people liked and cared for him. Nevertheless, I was able to go with it.
I also really liked the story-telling. The Americana and the escape from materialism was the gravy, but the real meat and potatoes was the emotional storyline. The greatest tragedy was not his eventual death but the swath of heartbreak he left as he trekked through America. My favorite thing about the story-telling was that it was unapologetic about this.
Conservative movie goers should be warned about the occasional nudity.
What I would change
Nothing.
