A Walk In The Woods

Whenever a popular book is turned into a movie, you can expect to be sitting in the movie theater surrounded by people complaining about how the book was better. I have a feeling they were all correct with this (and you don’t have that many people sitting around you in the theater showing A Walk In The Woods).

Based on the book and true story, Robert Redford stars as Bill Bryson – a travel writer who has spent most of his life in Great Britain. He has returned to the states to live in New Hampshire, but life seems a bit empty.

Bill is not much of a fan of the modern world, and feels like he still has some urge to accomplish something, so, fascinated with the nearby Appalachian Trail, he challenges himself to complete the 5- month hiking journey from Georgia to Maine.

Of course, hiking all that way by yourself would be kind of dangerous (and boring), so he teams up with long lost friend Steven (Nick Notle) – who doesn’t seem to have the endurance and physical ability to hike from the driveway to the house.

Can these seniors shock the world by making it all the way?

Just call it Grumpy Old Men In The Woods, and you have an idea what this movie is all about.

If you have never seen a comedy before in your lifetime, A Walk In The Woods will be the most hilarious night of your life with all of the pratfalls and obvious set ups and punch lines.

However, most of us have seen it all before, and done much better.

Writers Rick Kerb and Bill Holderman stick to very simple, broad comedy without much of a thread running throughout the telling of the tale. Most of the movie is the two main characters walking.

Then, walking some more.

Then, walking some more.

Then, stopping to look at the beautiful scenery.

Then, falling down.

Then, walking some more.

Even when Kerb and Holderman try to inject some deeper themes and character development, it falls quite short. We never get a true understanding of the relationship between the two men, why they became estranged, or who they are down deep inside, so, when squabbles and conflict arise to raise the level of drama, it rings hollow.

Maybe the book does a better job examining the plight of getting older, the theme of friendship or the appreciation for the environment around these two, but the movie A Walk In The Woods is much more about tame silliness.

A Walk In The Woods is dull and lifeless.

A Walk In The Woods is rated R for language and some sexual references.