Frank

Into the Wild - a review
Excruciating. Into the Wild, from the first scene, was an excruciatingly sad and tortuous journey. I can't even say adventure because that would denote fun and excitement.
The first press I saw on this movie was an interview with Sean Penn, the movie's director, producer and screenplay writer, on Oprah. Into the Wild is a true story about a young man, recently graduated from college, who embarks on an adventure across the U.S. on his way to Alaska. What a good idea for a movie, I thought. It is another story, like Huck Finn, Blue Highways and On the Road, about someone stepping out of their comfort zone and discovering the world and themselves. But it is a story for our day and age of hurry, hurry, hurry, work, work, work, spend, spend, spend. And, just as all great movies from books should do, I was encouraged by the interview to buy the book, written by Jon Krakauer, the author of Into Thin Air, a story of life and death on Mt. Everest.
But as the Oprah interview continued with Emile Hirsch, the actor portraying main character, Christopher McCandless, I realized the final, dire outcome. The more I heard the angrier I became at the selfishness of McCandless. I no longer wanted to see the movie or read the book because I didn't want to honor or give profit to that selfishness. Most of all I didn't need to go to a movie to be devastated.
That was my bias going into the theatre to see Into the Wild.
The movie opens with Chris McCandless's parent's faces filling the screen, mom sobbing, and dad comforting. It is the first of many close-ups through out the movie. Marcia Gay Hardin and William Hurt achingly portray Chris' abandoned parents. Their anguish sets the tone for the next 2 hours and 20 minutes. As a mom I felt their pain.
The movie meshes scenes from Chris' travels with scenes from his life before college, shown as book chapters. Many scenes have narration spoken softly by Chris' sister, Carine. The interwoven scenes and narration serve as an explanation to what happens on Chris' journey. The structure also allows the viewer to breathe, ease their pain and regain their composure before the next chapter.
Another clever touch is the handwritten messages that Chris scrawls across the screen as someone would on a postcard. Certainly, that is what this movie is at its very base.
Chris keeps a journal of his experiences, discoveries and thoughts. He wants to leave his mark. He jots down the important lessons learned about truth, happiness, and family. He is anxious to soak up his reason for being.
Emile Hirsch is convincing in the lead role. His integrity as Chris is helped along because his Hollywood movie resume is short. Chris is an innocent, game playing, and fun loving youngster when he begins his journey. His physicality and physique in the role adds to the true-life story.
Along the journey Chris meets some engaging characters and sees eclectic places.
Every character and location is another opportunity for Chris' education. Two key figures, a hippie couple portrayed authentically by Catherine Keener and Brian Dierker, are the loving, truthful parents Chris' needed while he was trying to shed his own parents.
A break in the reality of the journey was Vince Vaughn's role. Perhaps because of his many recent roles he stood out like a sore thumb in an ensemble of less media-hyped actors. He was believable as a good old boy farmer but it took me out of the story flow. However, Hal Holbrook, a mainstream screen, TV and stage actor, was very believable in his role as a grandfatherly mentor. Perhaps his age and his previous rolls as the sage, allow him to flow in this movie.

Believability is also broken in just one scene, when, after a conversation with an apple he is eating, Chris gives a quick stare into the camera. It broke the moment, an otherwise real moment, and I was surprised that Penn didn't leave it on the cutting room floor.
Otherwise, the story is all about the truth. There are many symbols that speak toward the truth; the idea of looking closely, the vastness of your surroundings in regard to your own minuteness, the barriers to movement once your have discovered yourself and the importance of life, of being in the light and dark, the black and white, the long roads and jet planes taking people away, and Chris' conversation with the wise old owls.
The cold scenery, from the beauty of Alaska to the robotic, chaotic L.A., evokes many emotions, which are not lost on Chris or the audience. The music, most of which is written and performed by Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam, add to the movie without being obtrusive.
My question regarding the message in this movie is whether Chris had to go to Alaska to learn what is important in life. The same lessons can be learned in a studio in New York City or a dorm room in Lawrence, KS. I don't object to the exploration, just to the selfishness and stupid way Chris went about it. Maybe Penn's lasting gift of Into the Wild is to present the lessons Chris learned without the audience having to personally experience the heartbreak.
I have a few questions: who is the audience, who would want to see the movie and who can I recommend it to. It is an important movie. It is so very well done on every level. But it is excruciating on every level. I guess I would want those who doubt the importance of truth and family to see this movie. Especially parents. This movie might be the Cliff notes for those in search of meaning in their lives.