Episode 5: "Into the Wild"

This time around we take a break from "Movies That Everyone in America Has Seen Except Lindsey" and move to "Into the Wild," a film that a lot of people have unfortunately missed out on. My first real contact with this story came sometime during high school when the book this film is based on was on a list from which I had to choose one to write a report about. I passed on "Into the Wild" and if memory serves I instead picked "Dune" which I later scrapped for a repeat reading of "Brave New World" because...well, because "Dune" is awful, awful reading when you're up against a deadline. Anyway, "Into the Wild" remained on the fringe of my mind grape (thank you, Tracy Jordan) until sometime in 2007. I finally picked up a copy of the book and read it in about 2 days. When I got a chance to watch the film version I found it no less captivating than it had been in print and thus, it makes the list.

"Into the Wild" is the true-life story of a trust fund kid who is so adamantly against materialism and the safety of structure that he decides to go off the grid, so to speak. He burns his ID and all the cash on him and essentially becomes a transient for the rest of his life. The story follows his travels from California to South Dakota to Nevada to the Gulf of Mexico and ultimately into the tundra of Alaska. Along the way he comes across a number of interesting and, in some way of their own, fellow transient people who impact him and in turn are impacted by him. It is that true kind of mix of adventure, idiocy, bravery, and heartbreak that couldn't be made up. What I love the most about this film (and the BRILLIANT book it is based on) is the difference in opinion people have about this kid. He's either a complete idiot or a hero and there's really no gray area.

I'm honestly not sure that the majority of the women out there can truly GET this movie (or the book). There is something instictively male in this movie that trumps "Die Hard" or any other blow-em-up-shoot-em-up film. That spirit within man, that little voice that says, "You know what would be better than filling out a spreadsheet today? Killing a moose," shines through so brightly in "Into the Wild." It's a voice that 99% of the guys out there have heard at one time (or hear all the time) and we seem to just GET why this kid did the things he did. An idiot or a hero, it doesn't really matter, the point is he DID it and we understand why.

There's just a lot of significance to "Into the Wild." There's some interesting commentary on community and what that really means and there is a lot to be gleaned here about what lengths someone will go to compensate for the lack of familial support. It is a BEAUTIFULLY shot film and regardless of whether you "get it" or not, it's an incredible movie that has been seriously overlooked. A+.

BEST CHARACTER: Ron Franz, Hal Holbrook
I loved the Vince Vaughn character here, too, but Holbrook was absolutely perfect in the role of the surrogate grandfather. Had he not been going up against Javier Bardem's Anton Chigurh ("No Country For Old Men") I think he would have won and deserved the Best Supporting Oscar he was nominated for.

BEST SCENE: Chris departs for Alaska
I dare you to watch this scene without getting teary-eyed and understanding exactly what I'm talking about concerning how good Holbrook was in this. I am not kidding when I say this scene, when you see it for the first time, can rip you apart. In fact, check out what Bardem had to say about it in '07.

BEST LINE:
The best line is actually inappropriate so...
"When you forgive, you love. And when you love, God's light shines through you."

"Happiness only real when shared,"
Brian

"Into the Wild" through Lindsey's eyes:

As Brian said, people would either view this kid as crazy or incredible. I personally think, there IS a little gray area. I don't consider him crazy, but I think throughout his journey, he was led to instability. I have a bit of a different view on this, because of someone so close in my life, that I really see in this character. I look at the main character and I feel like I know him. I don't think I could ever truly understand those desires of a male to have that freedom, but I can at least recognize it. I don't think a male is crazy to set off on a journey that leads him to many different places in the world. From what I've witnessed, I think the male can't think about anything else until he takes those journeys. Eventually, I hope the journey takes a rest and maybe mini-journeys can just occur throughout life, so that he can be closer to those who love him.

Maybe some men have this desire in their heart more than others. I look at couples where the woman wants her husband "wrapped around her finger" and just destroys his manhood, which is absolutely disgusting. I see parents that are so overprotective with their children that they can't let them go, so they can explore the ways of their heart. This movie is a perfect example of those feelings. Everyone has felt bound by something or someone at a point in their life. Their way to freedom may not be a wilderness trek to Alaska, but may be fulfilled by stepping away from family or starting a new job. If you can sort through the "this guy is crazy" feeling, I think everyone can relate in some way to this feeling of desired freedom. I would definitely recommend this movie, especially to guys. I have no desire to watch this movie ever again, but I appreciate it.

I bet this kid would be great at Oregon Trail,
Lindsey