Into the Wild
Like a lot of movies I’ve watched this year, “Into the Wild” is very much a director’s movie- the work of a singular vision of the world they’re trying to create onscreen. Of course, “Wild” writer-director Sean Penn (making his forth film behind the camera, his first since 2001’s underrated “The Pledge”) has a major assist working for him in the novel of Jon Krakauer, who took it upon himself to tell the story of Christopher McCandless, an honors graduate from Emory University who, in 1990 after his graduation, abandoned the life he was raised in (left his apartment, emptied and donated his savings, destroyed any paper evidence of his life) and headed out on the open road with just his beat-up Dotson, which he would eventually have to lead behind. For two years he traveled across America on a trip to Alaska, where he would live off the bare essentials until his death in ’92 by starvation. To some, this would seem to be a foolhardy, but for Chris (who dubs himself Alexander Supertramp) it was a chance to discover himself, a spiritual journey meant to clense the pain of his previous life and start anew.
True, what Chris is doing is a selfish, self-indulgent act, unfair to the parents (William Hurt and Marcia Gay Harden) he’s punishing for their past sins, and unfortunate for his sister Carine (Jena Malone, whose mournful narration, coupled with Chris’ own words, is one of the film’s prime emotional and narrative strengths), whom he clearly cares for, though strangely, not enough to stay (or at least keep her posted on his journey). But on the other hand, one has to admire the courage it takes to throw caution to the wind, and follow ones passion, which McCandless is clearly doing, even if his method behind it reeks of inexperience and foolishness. That courage and passion comes through not only in Penn’s approach to the material, but also in the performance by Emile Hirsch as McCandless, who captures both Chris’ swaggering ambition and silencing lonliness with astounding range. (It’s hard to believe this is the same actor from “The Girl Next Door”…lol.)
But neither “Into the Wild” (shot with equal beauty and terror by Eric Gautier and evocatively scored with a combination of Michael Brook’s instrumentals and Eddie Vedder’s haunting vocals) nor McCandless’ journey is a one-man show, as Penn has assembled a great supporting cast for Hirsch’s McCandless to interact with on the way. Vince Vaughn takes a break from silly comedy to return to his character actor roots (remember him in “Rudy”) to play Wayne, a farmer who gives Chris a job and decent paycheck. Catherine Keener and Brian Dierker are Jan and Rainey, a hippie couple who take Chris in like a son a couple of times on his journey. The second time around with Jan and Rainey, Chris has a flirtation in romance with 16-year old Tracy (Kristen Stewart), who’s willing to share herself with Chris, but Chris refuses. All worthwhile friendships for this solitary wanderer, but none he feels so connected to to stop his journey. The one who comes closest to that is Ron Franz (“All the President’s Men” and “The Firm” character actor Hal Holbrook, in an unforgettable portrait of parently love and wisdom), a widower who lost his wife and son long ago, and now passes the days working with leather in his desert home. The bond between Ron and Chris is the type Chris never had with his parents, and it causes the one moment of hesitation in his journey, and the most joyous moment in it, as he gets Ron to climb the side of a mountain for a look at the view from his vantage point.
But it wasn’t in the cards for Chris to live that life. He had to find his own way in the world. Through the words he leaves behind in the abandoned bus he discovers for shelter in Alaska, one senses he got it, and at the end of Penn’s compassionate film (which is overly long at 145 minutes, but compelling throughout), we also get the sense he may have found some peace as well.
