Into the Wild

I hadn't read the book and I hadn't ever heard of Christopher McCandless, so I went in with no expectations. Basic plot: college grad empties his bank account (and gives it to charity), takes off toward the west and finds himself in Alaska. As it progressed, the whole thing felt a little too good to be true. Too sweet, too easy, the sunsets too beautiful and the life lessons too piquant.

I think my biggest Hurdle for Appreciation (HfA™) was that most of the characters were two-dimensional. They embodied exactly the right imperfections to teach Chris what he needed at the precise moment he needed to learn. Trés Hallmark. This certainly happens in real life sometimes, but not chance meeting, after chance meeting after chance meeting. Chris himself feels too good. I know this film is a homage to him and his story, but I think a little darkness would have made me want to know him more.

On the other hand, characters like the awesome Thomas from Denmark and his naked river rat girlfriend sharing their hot dogs on the shore basically saved the movie for me with their unexpected and entertaining, if brief, appearance. Well, them and the end of the film when it became apparent that the whole thing had actually happened. For a few brief moments, I was more sympathetic to whatever storyteller had taken the facts and woven this yarn...then I realized it was Sean Penn and I felt less so.

(I don't hate Sean Penn, but I don't think he should direct films. And acting? 21 Grams, Sweet and Lowdown, Before Night Falls and Fast Times and Ridgemont High were great...too bad the only represent 9% of the movie's he's been in.)

Interesting connection: Pearl Jam gave the organization I work for a nice donation last year and by "nice" I mean really amazingly generous. Jeff Ament is a big fan of 826 Seattle and has kept us in his sights over the years since we opened. Recently their publicist offered Teri an advance-screening ticket to see this film for which Eddie Vedder did the original soundtrack. Teri couldn't make it, so I got the ticket. The music...it was pearl-jammy. With an acoustic bent. Sad and jangly.