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MetaCritic Score: 73

“The sea’s only gifts are harsh blows and, occasionally, the chance to feel strong. Now, I don’t know much about the sea, but I do know that’s the way it is here. And I also know how important it is in life not necessarily to be strong, but to feel strong, to measure yourself at least once, to find yourself at least once in the most ancient of human conditions, facing the blind deaf stone alone with nothing to help you but your hands and your own head.”

These words from one of the early scenes of director Sean Penn’s amazing film, Into The Wild, are some of my favorite in the movie. I really can’t say enough good things about this movie. It is a success on so many levels, that I’m going to go ahead and get the recommendation part of the way early on, this movie falls into the “Definitely Rent It the Next Chance You Get” category for everyone.

The film chronicles the two years following college in the life of Christopher McCandless, played surprisingly capably by Emile Hirsch (Alpha Dog, The Girl Next Door – Did I mention how surprising it is that he killed in this role?). McCandless was an upper-class kid and an idealist who spent a lot of time reading and studying the works of authors like Thoreau and Tolstoy. After graduating with honors from Emory, Chris decides that it’s time for him to go on his great voyage. He wants to live free of the burdens of modern society, free from materialism, free from expectations, just free. So he does what any rational person would do, donates his entire savings account to charity, cuts up all forms of identification and drives west. After losing his car to a flash flood in Arizona, he burns all of his cash and sets out on foot. His travels cover most of the American West (and even a bit of Mexico) and feature a variety of means of transportation, from trains, to cars, to a kayak.

Although the movie begins in Alaska, much of it takes place several months before he gets there. The first people we meet are his family. His father, played by William Hurt (Mr. Brooks, The Good Shepherd) has an obvious superiority complex and talks down to everyone he interacts with. Unsurprisingly his mother is the opposite, a pushover who seems at the mercy of her husband. Jena Malone (Donnie Darko, Life As A House) plays Chris’s sister and narrates several parts of his back story. William Hurt did a great job with this role. He played a terribly unlikable character and really exhibited all of the characteristics that we know placed a strain on his bond with Chris. I wish we would have seen more of Jena Malone, because I usually think she does a pretty good job, but given the time frame of the movie, it’s understandable that we only get to see her in bits and pieces.

There was also a surprising appearance by Vince Vaughn. It was interesting to see him in this movie, but he is another actor who is as good a candidate as any for a Ben Stiller / Nicholas Cage Club membership. That being said he does a good job playing roughly the same character as always, except this time that character’s occupation happens to be farmer.

Beside Vaughn, a few of the other minor characters do a really good job.

Brian Dierker, who IMDB doesn’t have any other listings for, does a very quality job as Rainey, a middle age hippie who’s having some marital problems. He could have very easily gone the Tommy Chong route and overplayed it, but he sold it just right.

The most stirring performance, though, had to be that of Hal Holbrook (Men of Honor) playing Ron Franz. Chris runs into Mr. Franz while trying to find a ride in the desert. Franz is a retired Army man living by himself. He keeps to himself and makes a living engraving leather in a workshop in his garage. Chris challenges him to think in ways that he hasn’t allowed himself to in years. You will learn the reason for his reclusive nature during the film. The interactions between him and Chris are truly remarkable. Holbrook absolutely kills the role. Javier Bardem deserved the Best Supporting Actor award for his role in No Country For Old Men, but in 9/10 years Holbrook absolutely would have been the best choice. The 20 minutes of the movie that he is involved in are worth the price of admission by itself.

Sean Penn deserves a ton of credit for his direction of this film. Granted, it would have been hard to screw up some of the scenes because they were naturally so beautiful, but Penn put the right amount of emphasis on the landscape. The locations were chosen perfectly throughout the film. Some of the scenes in Alaska and the desert were just breathtaking.

Apart from the visuals and acting, the film also delivers some really insightful and thought provoking messages. Hirsch delivers some great lines and cites some great authors that truly make you think about whether you are living your life to the fullest. My personal favorite is the one that began this post. I certainly don’t plan on spending any extended period of time in the wilderness, but I don’t think that is necessarily the only way to “measure yourself,” I think that the movie just really just points out the need for individuals to test their limits and see what they can accomplish if they push beyond their comfort zone. Hopefully most people are more sensible in testing themselves than McCandless was.

Anyhow, that’s it for now, but I just want to reiterate how highly I recommend this movie. There is truly something in it for everyone.

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