Into the Wild

[A Boy Named Seo]

Based on the non-fiction book of the same name, the film chronicles the 2 plus year journey of a college graduate from an affluent, but dysfunctional east coast family who gives up all his money and possessions to travel to Alaska in search of peace and some kind of enlightenment, all the while living off the land, his own will and determination, and the kindness of peeps he meets along the way. Stars Emile Hirsch (the kid who falls for the porn star in "The Girl Next Door") and is directed by Sean Penn. The outstanding soundtrack, as mentioned in the NBF, is by Eddie Vedder.

I saw it tonight and thought it rocked.

[metirish]

Can't wait to see it, hopefully in the next few days.

[Guest sharpie]

Underwhelmed.

I liked the book which didn't make him out to be some sort of holy shaman but a confused kid with a strong sense of himself. Pretty scenery but only so-so performances (other than the hippie couple) and too manipulative for me. Also too long.

[Edgy MD]

Sounds... like something I don't want to see.

[Guest sharpie]

I only went 'cause it was the missus turn to pick the flick. She liked it better than I did so I guess that's fair.

[Frayed Knot]

sharpie wrote: I liked the book which didn't make him out to be some sort of holy shaman but a confused kid with a strong sense of himself.

Maybe not quite a shaman, but the book does portray the kid as someone who often had a profound effect on those he met during his trek, particularly on the older man who wanted to legally adopt him after spending just a few weeks with him. Then, upon learning about his death, was affected enough to renounce his religion as well as go back to drinking after swearing off decades earlier.
I didn't think the movie went overboard in playing up that angle.

[Centerfield]

He may have had an effect on those he met, but my initial thoughts when I read the book were that I couldn't believe how incredibly stupid and selfish he was. His family life might not have been perfect, but he had more opportunities than most. He repaid them by vilifying them and cutting them off for years leaving them to wonder about his whereabouts.

His journey "into the wild" is laughable as he didn't venture into the "wild" so much as he went camping in well-known, well-traveled hunting grounds. He died just miles away from civilization because he was ill-prepared for his "adventure".

I think a lot of kids go through that phase where they are so idealistic and naive they consider trying something like this. I'm thankful I was not nearly as motivated or industrious to try some of the stuff I was thinking of doing when I was that age. The sad part is, I feel like if he could have made it just a little longer, he would have grown up, become less stupid, and would someday look back upon it as something crazy he did as a kid.

[Frayed Knot]

Oh I agree with all of that and have no intention of building the guy up as some sort of heroic or mystic figure.
But part of what drew Krakauer to the story was the striking rememberences people had of him even those who just knew him in passing - while also making no secret of the fact that he saw a lot of his own youthful self in the kid.

I just didn't think - as Sharpie did - that the movie presented an image of him that was a whole lot different from that in the book.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Memorable, nice scenery, a little over the top, a little too long. At one point the hippy guy asks him "What are you, Jesus?" (why, as a matter of fact I am - see me float downstream naked on my back with my arms straight out!) Didn't really address the contention of the locals that he essentially committed suicide by being a stubborn dumbass, just that the people he encounters on the trip seem to sense his doom.

[soupcan]

Saw this on PPV last night.

I liked it and gave it 7 Magic Buses.

The cinematography was outstanding. Really beautiful landscape shots. I thought the acting on all fronts was very good. Excellent cast - William Hurt, Catherine Keener, Hal Holbrook, Marcia Gay Harden, Vince Vaughn...

Rather than think the kid was selfish, I felt for him. He was searching for something and was sure he knew where to find it. Unfortunately he was wrong.

Soundtrack was great.

[metirish]

metirish wrote: Can't wait to see it, hopefully in the next few days.

Yeah well saw it tonight 16 months later, agree with most of what is said here already....liked the movie a lot .

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Eddie Vedder scored this mutha. Is there anything the man cannot do? (Except, you know, pick a team to root for that's won a title in the last 100 years?)

[Guest cooby]

I'm not a movie goer, I'm a book reader.

I read this book around Christmas time (borrowed from my son's girlfriend) and it took me several tries to read it because it kept reminding me of my son and his dreams and plans. I knew the boy was going to die in the end because Tony's girlfriend told me so my eyes kept tearing up.

Loved it though because although he hurt his parents and family and maybe some friends along the way, he did his own thing with such innocence, a totally 20 year old thing to do.

To think he almost made it back only to be stumped by a high river and then ironically starve to death during a time of plenty was so cruel of Nature and it should remind us that the Earth is still in charge of us.

I don' t know what the movie did to the book, but if you saw it and didn't read it, please do.

[Guest Vince Coleman Firecracker]

cooby wrote: I don' t know what the movie did to the book, but if you saw it and didn't read it, please do.

Well, most obviously, it excised all the non-Supertramp accounts of people taking to the wilderness as a spiritual or other such journey, which makes the story less about the call of the wild on civilization and more about a kid that is searching for something. But you do get some of the most beautiful looking shots I've ever seen on screen, so I think it more than makes up for it.