Into the Wild - **** out of ****

It may be easy to oversimplify what Christopher Johnson McCandless did in his life. Perhaps even he oversimplified what he viewed as the world. Coming from wealthy parents (played by Marcia Gay Harden and William Hurt) who didn't realize who he was until he left for good, Chris's journey across America into Alaska seemed to be inevitable. He was, in a way, running away from what he had known to pursue a life of simplicity. If you asked him whether he would choose living the way he had or dying the way he wanted, I'm sure you know his decision. What legacy Chris left behind is something he didn't entirely intend upon; he touched people when they needed someone in their lives like him. They may or may not have known it, but the impact he made has changed several lives for good.

Chris McCandless, after graduating college, withdrew his college fund and donated it to charity, drove his aged car (he wouldn't like it if I said 'crappy car') well away from home, abandoned it, burned the cash he had along with his social security card and bank cards, and left on foot for Alaska. He hitchhikes along the way, and the characters he meets initially view him as a stupid kid- that he'll live in the forest for a couple days and then go home. He doesn't, but instead, he moves for over 100 days in a journey of self-reflection.

For those who are unaware, "Into the Wild" is a true story. The characters were real people despite some names being changed, and the story was told as it had happened (absolutely exceptional work by author/reporter John Krakauer). When I finished the book a couple years ago, I was touched by the image of this guy around my age pursuing a dream that he desired. I did, however, have my doubts about Chris. Maybe he was just a well-dressed goth kid. Maybe his motivation was the bad kind of selfish. Maybe he wanted to take the journey and publish his book so he could become famous. These doubts may raise in your mind, and you may view Chris as a dumb fool, but there are many who met him that didn't.

He encounters two older hippies who were having troubles in their relationship (Catherine Keener and Brian Dierker). The exact problems are never revealed, but the fact that there were problems is enough for our purposes. They pick Chris up and hear his story over a campfire after dinner. As one of the first characters he meets in his journey, Chris seems to carry an air of superiority over most people. He doesn't feel superior to them, but his immaturity is still present. He revisits them later, and they couldn't be happier to see him alive. His position in their lives seems to occupy that of a young friend. After he leaves them, their troubles seem to have vanished.

Chris works as a wheat farmer for Wayne Westerberg (Vince Vaughn). They drink at a bar and reminisce about life and living, and the very happy Wayne doesn't seem to need any help with his existence. This seems to be almost like a vacation for both as they seem to hit it off immediately. The chemistry is enough to believe that they had been around each other for a long time. Chris leaves him, and Wayne promises him a job if he ever needs it.

What many believe to be the most significant stop is when he meets Ron Franz (Hal Holbrook). Ron is an elderly man who works with leather in his garage. Chris shows him his camp in "Oh-My-God Hotsprings," and Ron convinces him to stay at his home. Ron later reveals that early in his marriage, his wife and son were killed by a drunk driver, and his parents and grandparents only had one child, so after he passes, his bloodline will have vanished. He wishes for Chris to remain in his life, but dramatic irony shows us that he will outlive Chris. In the book, Ron later takes his own journey of self-discovery.

If you think I've revealed too much, then you don't realize that this isn't a film about the final stop but about the pit stops along the way. The story, for the most part, is revealed on the back cover of the book, and it is fairly common knowledge. There is no way that I can put into words the exchanges made between Chris and his new friends. The acting is that perfect. The writing and direction (both by Sean Penn) transcend anything traditional and instead work to simply tell a story. It would have been tempting to arthouse up the dialogue and everything, but that would diminish the point.

No, the point is not that everyone should sell and destroy their possessions and go live in the wilderness. The point is that we all have an unashamed passion, something we wish to pursue in life. When we get caught up in the game of living, we forget exactly why we're here. It's not to make an indentation in the world like a kid around fresh cement; it's to live, really live the way we wish. That is a legacy worth keeping.


In the end credits, a picture of the real Chris McCandless is shown for a length of time. At first, I did what I usually do when movies based on true stories do this- I looked at how much Emile Hirsch looked like the real guy. Yes, that was interesting, but after a second, I looked into his eyes. I truly felt like I had known a Chris McCandless in my walk, but I haven't. I couldn't shake this recognition, and I tried to think about some people I've know; still nothing. It was at that point that I realized that it wasn't the character or the actions I had known, it was the fact that he was genuinely happy at that moment. He was doing what he wanted to do, and nothing or no one was standing in his way. I often wish I had his courage, but it's never too late. There is always time in your life to fulfill your dream.

Rated R for language and some nudity.
Buy it here.