Sean Penn has had a distinguished career as an actor, as evidenced by his four Best Actor Oscar nominations (and one win for ‘Mystic River’). It is his work as a screenwriter and director, however, that produces the year’s best film and my most enthusiastic 'thumbs up' yet.
'Into The Wild' is Penn's adaptation of Joe Krakauer’s best-selling book of the same name. It examines the exhilarating true story of Chris McCandless (Emile Hirsch), a college graduate turned drifter. After Chris finishes school, he sets out on a personal journey of enlightenment that he is convinced will take him to Alaska. He takes off without telling his family, leaving his quarreling father (William Hurt) and mother (Marcia Gay Harden) behind. His sister Carine (Jena Malone) is also crushed by his departure but at least understands his reasons. Her character provides the narration for the film.
Chris, who changes his name to Alex Supertramp upon hitting the open road, condemns his old way of life. While his parents are rich and want him going to law school, Alex (as I will refer to him from now on) has different ideas. He sets out to live off the land, performing odd jobs as he crisscrosses the western United States (and Mexico). His endgame is living a life of solitude in Alaska.
Penn intersperses the story between Alex’s time in Alaska and his journey getting there. It is an effective choice that keeps the film interesting from start to finish. As he makes his way west, Alex meets many interesting people. His first encounter is in Arizona with Rainey (Brian Dierker) and Jan (Catherine Keener), a pair of hippies working their way through a broken relationship. He moves on to South Dakota where he finds work in a corn mill with Wayne (Vince Vaughn), who is arrested for tax evasion. After this setback, he buys a kayak and heads down the river towards Mexico. On the way, he meets two free-spirited Danes (Thure Lindhardt and Signe Egholm Olsen) . This encounter produces one of the film's funnier scenes.
The most touching story line comes when Alex befriends an older gentleman named Ron (Hal Holbrook). Alex brings Ron out of his lifelong shell while Ron makes Alex realize his need for human contact.
This film is extraordinary in so many ways. Penn’s use of different camera angles and filming techniques keeps the film from ever becoming monotonous. Cinematographer Eric Gautier beautifully captures the scenery of the various filming locations from Alaska to the Grand Canyon. The acting is brilliant. Hirsch deserves a Best Actor nod from the Academy for his career defining portrayal of Alex. An outstanding supporting cast surrounds Hirsch. Holbrook shows that he is still capable of fine work at 82. Keener and Dierker both shine in limited screen time, as does Kristen Stewart as a potential love interest for Alex. The soundtrack, performed mostly by Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder, is also first-rate and fits the tone of the film perfectly.
Some viewers will be angered at what they see as Alex’s waste of his potential, but they will have missed the point. This is a story about Alex's dreams and his journey to fulfill them. There is something for everyone here: comedy, suspense, drama, unrequited love, poignancy and a breathtaking backdrop to top it off. It is an absolute masterpiece and my favorite film of the year. Penn has outdone himself, and he deserves another Academy Award. This film should clean up at Oscar time.
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