Sean Penn’s film is an adaptation of the Jon Krakauer biopic, about a young, rebellious, university graduate, who rids himself of all material possessions to live a life of tranquil freedom in the Alaskan wilderness.
Without Possessions, Without a Worry
Emile Hirsch (The Girl Next Door) plays Chris McCandless, a young man with much promise for the future. Despite his parents hopes for greatness from their prized son, Chris wishes only to live a life unbound from the burdens of societies imposed constraints.
In an unexpected turn, Chris decides to pass up his potential candidacy for a spot at the prestigious Harvard Law school, instead, deciding to pursue his frivolous ambition to live in the Alaskan wilderness. Having torn up any shred of evidence which may link his activities to his whereabouts, Chris is left penniless, armed only with his arsenal of knowledge and his prized books. These aside, he is reliant solely on the gifts provided to him by Mother Nature herself.
On The Road Again
Along his travels, McCandless meets different characters, which become crucial players in the epic journey which would prove to become his legacy. Brian H Dierker (The River Wild) and Catherine Keener (The 40 Year Old Virgin), play Jan and Rainey, vagrant hippies who become surrogate parents to Chris. Vince Vaughn (Wedding Crashers), plays Wayne, a farmer who becomes an older brother/role model to Chris. Ron, Hal Holbrook (ER) plays the role of Chris’s adopted grandfather who can’t help but watch over the headstrong know-it-all.
Chris eventually finds the complete isolation and oneness with the universe that was the inspiration for his journey in the Alaskan wilderness. Despite his strengthened survival instinct, Chris finds himself trapped in what he would affectionately call, ‘The Magic Bus’, an abandoned bus used as a home base for seasonal moose hunters. This would become Chris’s resting place, after mistakenly ingesting a poisonous wild vegetable which put his body into a forced state of starvation
The Verdict
Chris McCandless’s story is one of triumph, determination, and tragedy. Although preaching to Ron in the film that the only company and resources he needed could be found in the surrounding riches of the earth, his ironic demise proved that he did still need the support of people. Nevertheless, in Sean Penn’s adaptation of the adventurer’s biopic can be found much inspiration and lessons for all people to take one; that materialism is the root to unhappiness and that in simplicity, one can still have it all.
4/4 Stars
Cast
- Emile Hirsch
- Marcia Gay Harden
- William Hurt
- Jena Malone
- Brian H. Dierker
- Catherine Keener
- Vince Vaughn
- Kristen Stewart
- Hal Holbrook
Writer: Sean Penn/Jon Krakauer(book)
Director: Sean Penn
Producer: Sean Penn/Art Linson/Bill Pohlad
Paramount Vantage (M-148 Minutes)
Filmography information sourced from www.imdb.com
Ben Hetherington - About Me My name is Benjamin Robert Hetherington and writing is a passion I first discovered as a primary school student. Being given ...
