This is a story that has stayed with me since I first watched the film because it is simply beautiful, and the book is currently sitting on my book shelf just waiting to be read. It’s not a new film, released in 2007, so don’t expect to see it in cinemas. It is out on DVD however, so if you love a story of discovery and self will then this will be perfect for you…
Sean Penn delivers a stunning landscape and emotional realm for his audience as director of Into the Wild. Inspired by a true story, we follow Chris McCandless’ (Emile Hirsch) journey to Alaska after he sends his $24,000 law college fund to Oxfam, and begins a life of the minimal. We see him struggle against his parents lavish lifestyle and through his travels as he fights against the odds to reach his goal, Alaska.
It is perhaps the touching relationships glimpsed along the way that set our emotions on play as we remind ourselves that these are in fact real, all told through a journal kept by McCandless throughout his journey. We have to respect McCandlesses’ family for their allowing the story to be told, as Penn does not hinder to show the truth of their lives.
This rawness that he captures propels the story because Penn does not try to make everything ‘pretty’ or hide us from reality. Instead we are heartbroken and smile all at the right moments, not because we feel obliged too, but because Penn allows the camera to drift over the landscape and across his actors’ faces so that we capture those moments of eye contact, those real smiles and laughs, and the true tears.
