Into the Wild
Based on the Krakauer book of the same name, adapted and directed by Sean Penn, this thing is something else.
First of all, you have to decide for yourself, “Is this kid on a spiritual journey or a suicide mission?”
The brain tries to figure out which one it is. Of course, it’s both.
Into the Wild is slow. No question. The horrendous couple next to us (whom we moved over for so they could be together) did grow bored, talked to each other, leaned into each other for some heavy petting with the general tone that sounded like, “Baby, don’t you worry, I’d never do anything weird like leave you and head out into the wild to find, I don’t know, myself, God, nature, Death.”
It’s a movie you have to be in the mood for. I hadn’t been to the movies in a few weeks, so I was quite ready. Plus, I just finished reading Richard Ford’s very good novel, The Sportswriter, which is glacial yet somehow its snail pace spoke to my inner, meditative mollusk. I have been in the mood for slow, in depth things. Maybe I’m officially ancient.
Into the Wild is lovely in its administration to detail. And the point of going into nature, kind of like Thoreau but more severe, means slowing down, taking it all in. However, the experience of shooting a film and making a film that really makes you feel that way are two different things. At times, it worked. Other times, it seemed kind of overwrought---with slow shots of sky, rock, cloud, bush, bear. Growl.
The acting was pitch perfect. This is the shining goodness. Emile Hirsch does an amazing job as a coming-of-age kid who has pushed down all his rage toward his awful parents and submitted to a higher calling. He is immediately likable and everyone who comes into contact with him is galvanized into loving him. Supporting turns by Marcia Gay Harden, William Hurt, Catherine Keener, newcomer Brian Dierker as Rainey, Vince Vaughn and especially Hal Holbrook are fully realized and completely joyful to behold. I will repeat it again: especially Hal Holbrook. One can smell Oskie.
If you want to slow down and take in a big movie that tries its best to engulf a few big ideas, go for it. It’s good to slow down. But one does wish Sean Penn was just a tiny bit better at making movies if he’s going to continue. And we know he is.
Warning: Nasty moose slaughter scene.
Into the Wild
4 comments:
That's my complaint about actors who direct. They don't know how to make movies. I feel the same about Clint Eastwood but I guess nobody agrees with me. Their movies are TOO SLOW. But the acting is always superb. They don't know how to tell a story and they seem allergic to fearless editing. The Krakauer book was a page-turner.
i loved it! and it is really not my kind of movie. great acting. and my god, that hal holbrook, wow.i closed my eyes during the whole moose thing...yuk
Oy, I'm not into slow pacing right now. I'm reading The Sportswriter--ur, I don't think I'm gonna finish.
Marc and I broke up the second time over an argument about the book, way back in 2000. He and his friends thought McCandless was heroic in a way. I thought he was a dumbshit. But of course, it's never about what it's about.
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