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Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that this long (140 minutes) drama is based on the true story of a college graduate who decided to live off the grid for more than two years, culminating in a fatal four-month solo journey to the Alaskan backcountry. The tragic nature of his death might be too heavy a theme for younger kids, but teens -- some of whom may read the best-seller on which the film is based in school -- could be drawn to the story of a young man who seeks beauty and truth. There's some language (including "f--k") and social drinking, some bare breasts, a non-sexual glimpse of star Emile Hirsch's penis as he floats naked in a river, and another fleeting shot of a couple making love (no sensitive body parts shown).
Families can talk about whether knowing Chris' fate ahead of time affects the impact of the movie. If so, how? If not, why? Are movies based on real lives/true stories more interesting than those that are pure fiction? Families can also discuss how you feel about Chris after watching the movie. What honorable/admirable things did he accomplish? How did he impact the people he came to know on the road? On the other hand, did he treat his parents and sister fairly? Should he have contacted his family?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Sandie Angulo Chen
In real life, the cult of Christopher McCandless -- fueled by Jon Krakauer's nonfiction best-seller Into the Wild -- has little meaning to critics (mostly Alaskan) who believe that the idealistic 24-year-old wanderer basically committed suicide by trekking into the wilderness for four months in 1992. Those who don't consider McCandless praiseworthy probably won't enjoy Sean Penn's retelling of the story.
Penn's adaptation martyrs McCandless (Emile Hirsch), the intelligent college graduate who gave his $24,000 trust fund to Oxfam, burned the remainder of his cash, and took off on a nearly three-year journey without a single call or postcard home. Whether or not you agree with the accuracy of the portrayal, it's fascinating -- beautiful, even -- to see a young man embark on his own hero's journey.
Hirsch, who's in practically every scene of the two-and-a-half-hour film, gives a startling, career-high performance. He fully embodies Chris -- who unofficially changes his name to Alexander Supertramp once he embarks on his adventure -- as an ascetic devotee of Leo Tolstoy, Henry David Thoreau, and Jack London. But he's no stick in the mud, and he manages to make a life-changing impression on everyone he meets, including hippie RVers lovingly played by Catherine Keener and Brian Dierker; a grain elevator foreman (Vince Vaughn); a 16-year-old folk singer (Kristen Stewart); and, most touchingly, a lonely elderly man (Hal Holbrook), who loves the boy so dearly that he offers to adopt him as a grandson.
Despite the seemingly deep human connections he fosters throughout his tramping days, Chris is single-mindedly focused on one goal: getting to Alaska and living off the land for a few months all by himself. In fact, he arrives there early in the film, camping out in a "magic" bus that had been parked long ago as a crude base camp; flashbacks fill in the two years leading up to that point. The back-and-forth between Chris' days in Alaska and his time as Alexander the hitchhiker is effective, poignantly reminding the viewer of the kind of big-hearted man he could have resumed being had he been able to walk back out of the wilderness.
Every performance in the film is noteworthy, as is the soundtrack, which features several songs by Eddie Vedder. But one of the most impressive triumphs of the movie is its gorgeous cinematography. The "simple beauty" Chris so cherishes in nature is perfectly captured. Even in his final moments (at least in the film), Chris -- now starved and emaciated -- has nature's beauty to comfort him. If only he could have told his story himself.
Families who like movies about life-changing trips may enjoy The Motorcyle Diaries, Little Miss Sunshine, or the documentary Grizzly Man (which is fascinating, but not for the faint of heart!). And for more impressive wilderness footage, try Into Alaska with Jeff Corwin and Survivorman.
Rate It!
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Sexual ContentJan and Rainey are briefly shown making love in their RV (nothing sensitive is shown); a 16-year-old takes off her jeans and propositions Chris, but he declines. One non-sexual glimpse of a completely nude Chris floating on a river. A brief drive-through scene in a nudist camp; when Chris has lunch with a cheerful Danish couple, the woman goes bare-breasted for most of the scene. |
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ViolenceChris is badly beaten by a railroad cop. There are disturbing images of Chris' emaciated body toward the end of the film. In one bloody sequence, Chris shoots and butchers a moose; in other scenes, he shoots and roasts smaller game. He carries a hunting rifle during many of the Alaska-set scenes. |
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LanguageStrong, but not incessant. Words include "f--k," "a--hole," "s--t," etc. |
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Social BehaviorIt's highly debatable whether some of Chris' actions were inconsiderate and selfish or justified. Either way, he chose to abandon his family and the prospect of a conventional life for one more attuned with nature and "truth." |
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CommercialismInternational Harvester bus; John Deere; Burger King. |
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Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoChris drinks with Wayne and his friends at a local bar in a couple of scenes; Jan appears to roll a joint. |
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