A WALK IN THE WOODS
Robert Redford as Bill Bryson / Nick Nolte as Katz / Emma Thompson as Catherine Bryson / Nick Offerman as REI Dave / Kristen Schaal as Mary Ellen Directed by Ken Kwapis / Written by Bill Holderman and Rick Kerb, based on the book by Bill Bryson |
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On a level of
memorable fact-based man versus nature flicks, A WALK IN THE WOODS pales
in comparison to finer examples of the genre, like last year’s WILD
with Reese Witherspoon or ALL IS LOST
with Redford himself; it simply feels far too pedestrian and safe with the
underlining material for its own good.
Yet, it's the infectious camaraderie and good will that
the film’s stars bring in abundance to the table that makes A WALK IN THE
WOODS modestly engaging throughout. Beyond that, it just doesn’t have very much to say about its subject
matter. Based
on the 1998 travel book A WALK IN THE WOODS: REDISCOVERING AMERICA ON THE
APPALACHIAN TRAIL by Bill Bryson, the film tries to harness the good
natured humor and trail and ecological history of its source material
while relaying the odd couple dynamic between Bryson and his trail-mate,
Stephen Katz. One rather
large distraction in the film, though, is the ages of both Redford and Nolte,
who portray Bryson and Katz respectively.
Redford is a ripe old 79-years-old, whereas Katz was 33 years his
junior in the book when he took on the monumental task of making the
massive trek across the Appalachian trail.
This subverts some of the credibility of the film in general,
specifically on the level that it’s frankly hard to believe that two old
geezers that are closing in on retirement home age would be physically up
to the task. Granted, Redford
wanted to film Bryson’s book decades ago with Paul Newman, which makes
for a tantalizingly superb what-if movie scenario.
Shooting A WALK IN THE WOODS now – approaching his 80’s –
really strains credulity for Redford and his co-star.
That, and Nolte seriously appears visibly unhealthy throughout the
film to the point of eliciting anxiety in viewers.
Still,
though, Redford and Nolte are an undeniable and infectious hoot together
in this film. Bill (Redford)
has been a respected travel writer for decades, but he has hit rock
bottom, of sorts, both professionally and personally.
He makes the rounds on TV talk shows to promote compilations of his
past great work without having written anything consequential in years.
When he’s not pedaling his past literary wears, Bill’s sense of
mortality kicks in when he experiences uneasy feelings about his
retirement, not to mention dealing with constant reminders that he only
has a few truly healthy and productive years left on the planet.
Much against his good natured wife’s (Emma Thompson) judgment,
Bill decides to take on the gargantuan task of trekking across the
2000-plus mile Appalachian Trail to rediscover himself and make
connections with subject matter that he once passionately wrote about.
His main problem is that he can’t find a friend to accompany him
on his journey (his wife insists that he doesn’t go it alone), but after
many failed attempts Bill finds a trek companion in the form of an old semi-estranged
friend Stephen (Nolte), an overweight ex-alcoholic that doesn’t look
like he could walk more than fifty feet without passing out.
Nevertheless, Bill and Stephen enthusiastically take to the trail
and embrace the challenge of their six month nature odyssey ahead of them.
Their hearts are in it, but their bodies have other ideas. Oddly
enough, Redford’s and Nolte’s senior citizenship status simultaneously
both hurts and is kind of embraced by the film.
The screenplay doesn’t disregard it altogether and finds some
genuinely amusing beats to comment on and mock the stars for their elderly
status. To be fair, A WALK IN
THE WOODS does manage to have some noble minded and worthwhile themes,
especially the notion that life doesn’t hit the pause button for anyone,
regardless of age. The
message of Bill’s underlining quest is to simply…try…and regardless
of obvious obstacles large and small.
Clearly, A WALK IN THE WOODS tackles the weighty issues of the
trepidation of getting older and feeling inconsequential, but it handles
it with mostly low-key and amusingly tactful touches.
Bill, deep down, realizes the utter futility of his yearning to
complete the Appalachian Trail (after all, 2200 miles is impossibly long
for anyone to travel on foot, young or old), but it doesn’t stop him
from trying, even if he knows that it’s doomed for inevitable failure.
On narrative level, A WALK IN THE WOODS doesn’t necessarily go
down the – pardon the pun – preordained paths that I was expecting. And
again, yes, the film is made eminently watchable because of its star
power. Redford and Nolte’s chemistry is effortless and palpable
throughout A WALK IN THE WOODS and it’s quite refreshing to see two actors in the
winters of their careers still capable of commanding our enthusiastic
attention. Redford still
looks shockingly good for a grandpa on screen, and even though that once
handsome mug has withered substantially over the years, he still has the
on-screen stature of a legitimate leading man.
Nolte has physically deteriorated far worse that Redford;
distractingly obese and with a complexion that ranges from red to purple
hued, I was mostly concerned that Notle would drop dead at any
given moment in the film. That’s
not to say the increasingly gavel voiced actor doesn’t deliver a sly and
engaging performance opposite of Redford.
Nolte still has a manner of imbuing a scene with a quietly stated
gravitas, such as one moment when he shares his tough battle with sobriety
with Redford during one of the film’s more powerfully understated
dramatic scenes. The
authentically rendered give-and-take between these two acting titans gives
A WALK IN THE WOODS some much needed soul and pathos. Yet, for as many great individual moments like those there exists more that wallow in uncomfortably broad and juvenile gags and verbal sparring. A WALK IN THE WOODS earns its R-rating for the frequent usages of multiple f-bombs from its characters, which gives it a salty aftertaste. The film’s potty-mouthed shenanigans are not really the main problem with the film, as director Ken Kwapis (helmer of mediocre films like HE’S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU and LICENSE TO WED) doesn’t really seem confident or equal to the task of elevating this material beyond being a trivial and slightly amusing GRUMPY OLD MEN travelogue picture. The thought of a Redford directed version of Bryson’s book years ago with Newman really taints this film through and through; that could have been an adaptation that really balanced subversive humor with the themes of the fragility of life while taking on nature with a much more powerful wallop. Kwapis frames many of the exteriors in A WALK IN THE WOODS with a painterly eye for environmental detail, to be sure, but he never really displays any dramatic ambitions beyond that. Granted, Redford and Nolte are the main attractions here, and they certainly deliver despite the lackluster material given to them. They infuse A WALK IN THE WOODS with a idiosyncratic personality, something that lesser actors would have utterly failed at. |
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