Into the Wild (2007)

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Director: Sean Penn

Writers: Sean Penn, based on the book by Jon Krakauer

Stars: Emile Hirsch, William Hurt, Marcia Gay Harden, Brian H. Dierker, Vince Vaughn, Catherine Keener, Kristen Stewart, Hal Holbrook, Jena Malone


Christopher McCandless (Emile Hirsch) walks away from a promising but conventional future and a difficult family (William Hurt and Marcia Gay Harden), seeking to free himself from human connection and experience the ultimate freedom of an “authentic” life alone in the wilds of Alaska. 


Writer/director Sean Penn does an extraordinary job of exploring the various facets of this mysterious personality.
 

It is easy enough to see why he left home in the first place, given the cold, loveless, abusive marriage of his parents, but he has many experiences that also contradict any idea he may have formed that human relationships are essentially toxic. 


He forms real connections with many of the people that he meets (Brian H. Dierker, Catherine Keener, Vince Vaughn, Kristen Stewart, Hal Holbrook, among others).
 

He also leaves a sister (Jena Malone) who loves him at home. 


But, in every case, he says goodbye and hits the road, still looking for the key to his essential self. 


He finds an answer in Alaska--a simple, satisfactory answer--and therein lies much of the beauty and tragedy of this film.










 


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