Into the Wild
Lissa Coffey
Grade: A
| Into the Wild is based on the book, which is the true story of Christopher McCandless. Chris graduates from college, and basically drops out of society to live life in the wild, all on his own. We learn about Chris’ childhood as the movie progresses, and his motivation for doing something so seemingly extreme. He gives away his life savings, burns up all of his identity cards, and changes his name to Alex Supertramp.
The movie is about all the adventures and life lessons that Chris encounters on this journey. He soon finds that it’s not so much about the trip to Alaska, as it is the journey within. This is a very spiritual movie, one that stays with you long after it’s over. Emile Hirsch stars as Chris. He is absolutely amazing in the role. I’m so surprised he didn’t get a nomination. Sean Penn directs. I heard that Sean Penn got the rights to the book, and then he waited until the family was ready before he started working on the project. He was very sensitive to their feelings. Hal Holbrook has a small part as a sage and friend that Chris meets along the way, and he was nominated as Best Supporting Actor for the role. Rated R – it’s heavy, very emotional. A good one to see with your teen. Opens up a lot of questions for discussion. |