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"INTO THE WILD" (R)
Sean Penn's Into the
Wild is one of the most inspiring dramas of 2007
By Kelly Doucette
Let me share you the story that is INTO
THE WILD. Originally published back in February of 1997, I first read
the book in my junior year of high school back in 2004. At the time, I
couldn’t get a good grasp as to who Chris McCandless aka ‘Alexander
Supertramp’ was. I thought him to be an idiot because let’s face it,
what sane individual would logically decide to do what Chris did? Upon
my entry into college, I obviously strived for more independence from
parents but do realize I am still tied to them in several different
ways, no matter how much I struggle free from their reigns. A bit of a
side note: here is Paramount Vantage’s
FYC
site for INTO THE WILD, it features the score,
songs, screenplay, trailer, and a few scarce images. On a page before
the screenplay actually there is a note made by Penn, the screenwriter:
“What follows is a dominantly linear approach, however, be advised that
time will be played with. Juxtapositions between journey and
destination. In particular, more Alaska in the body of the film.” There
is no sense of time in the film; in fact, one of the images Chris is
desperate to rid himself of is his wristwatch. Although we are taught to
rely on relationships and material things, it is just a figment of
society; in actuality, we can do much more without the stress those
deadlines and relationships bring upon us.
The film opens up with a quote from a man named Lord Byron in which he
says that it is not that he hates society, he just loves nature more.
Our first image is of a baron Alaskan wilderness, filled with snow. A
truck pulls up along the extreme left-hand side and we hear (but not
see) Chris step out of the truck and tell the driver that he no longer
needs his material things, with the exception of a pair of boots the man
gives him. While the film jumps between important relationships Chris
develops along the way with images of a family desperate to find him to
his final moments starving to death in a bus in the middle of the
Alaskan wilderness. Along the way, we are given insight as to why Chris
probably left his family behind without warning. As it turns out, his
father had previously been married (and had children with) to a woman
prior to his own mother. In fact, his mother became his dad’s mistress
and in the process, Chris and his sister, Carine, who acts as a narrator
for the film. It turns out that Chris’ entire life had been a lie and
with his parent’s arguments and near-divorce to boot, it was too much
for him to bear. While my parents never even considered divorce, I can
really feel with Chris and understand why he needed to start a life
entirely his own without any connection, in fear that something might
tear that relationship apart.
Now let’s discuss the performances. First up are a middle-aged
hippy/gypsy couple, Rainey and Jan, played by Oscar-nominee Catherine
Keener (Capote) and newcomer Brian Dierker, a real-life Colorado river
guide who was first discovered by one of his customers, Mr. Sean Penn.
While Chris is so desperate to lose connection with his own parents, he
quickly is befriended by both Rainey and Jan, who act as his surrogate
parents in sorts. In fact, when Jan divorced her first husband, her own
grown son had ran away and done the same thing Chris is doing; in a way,
Chris is Jan’s second chance to make up for her son. Up next was Wayne
(Vince Vaughn), who was Chris’ temporary employer. This was the one part
of the film that wasn’t really well explained. While peeing in public
(away from the seeing eye), Wayne is arrested by the FBI for some
long-standing convictions he never faced up to. Now it’s been a long
time since I’ve read the book so I don’t remember exactly what those
charges were, but the film never really explains it. Wayne promises
Chris a job when he is to be released from prison. So now Chris had a
new family and job, however, he still cannot really get away from the
things he is running from. When Chris returns to Jan and Rainey some six
months after he first left them, he is introduced to gyspy beauty Tracy,
played by PANIC ROOM star Kristen Stewart, who is six to seven years
younger than him at that point in the film. He informs her that having
sex with her would be illegal, although we really know that having sex
would come with the unwanted relationship and commitment he knows he
cannot give her. Last up is elderly leather maker Ron Franz, played by
legendary theater and television actor Hal Holbrook in his first major
film role since the 2001 Jim Carrey film THE MAJESTIC. At the end of the
Holbrook segment, Ron, whose wife and son were killed by a drunk driver,
and whose blood line will end with his own death, asks Chris if he can
adopt him but Chris doesn’t want to think about it until his trip to
Alaska is finished. Sadly, Chris never again sees Ron again. The film
required star Hirsch to lose 40-some pounds for his final scene in which
he eats a poisonous bean, which in turn, makes him starve to death (a
slow and painful process). While watching the film, I couldn’t help but
be reminded by filmmaker Terrence Malick’s films. As a matter of fact,
Penn himself had a small part in Malick’s comeback film, THE THIN RED
LINE (1998), which was a few years after Penn had first optioned the
book for movie rights. Of great importance to the film is the journal
writing which is written directly onto the screen in an eccentric font
without overlapping dialogue.
While I was a little let down by some minor parts of the film, I highly
recommend this film, especially to those of liberal-mindedness. It is
highly worth it and such a gorgeous film to boot.
According to their FYC website, they are campaigning for Oscar nods in
the following 16 categories (22
possible nods though):
Best Actor – Emile Hirsch
Best Supporting Actor – *Hal Holbrook* and Vince Vaughn and Brian
Dierker and William Hurt
Best Supporting Actress – Jena Malone and Marcia Gay Harden and Kristen
Stewart and Catherine Keener
Best Director – Sean Penn
Best Adapted Script – Sean Penn
Best Picture – Sean Penn and Art Linson and Bill Pohland, producers
Best Cinematography – Eric Gautier
Best Film Editing – Jay Cassidy
Best Original Score – Michael Brook and Eddie Vedder and Kaki King
Best Original Song(s) – *“Society” by Jerry Hannan*; “No Ceiling”,
“Rise”, *“Guaranteed”* by Eddie Vedder
Best Art Direction – Derek Hill and Chris Neely and Danielle Berman
Best Sound Editing – Martin Hernandez
Best Sound Mixing – Edward Tise and Lora Hirschberg and Michael Minkler
Best Makeup – Robin Mathews and Sterfon Demings
Best Costumes – Mary Claire Hannan
Best Visual Effects – Marty Taylor and Mat Beck
***1/2/**** |
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