Into the Wild

My mom and I watched Into the Wild tonight. It’s a movie that I’ve wanted to see for quite a while and just never really got around to. It’s not really up my husband’s alley as the only guns it has are being used to shoot game, not bad guys, and there are exactly zero car chases. And to be honest when I do have time to watch movies, especially as of late, what I really want to watch is brain candy. The shoot ‘em up, blow ‘em up variety is best; this particular non-brain candy movie got pushed further and further down my queue mostly because of its tear inducing nature. I’ve got enough tear inducing in my daily life lately, so I’m not really down with choosing to cry on purpose.

But I’m really, really glad that I finally watched it. Because even though it’s sad and tragic and most definitely tear inducing, it’s also beautiful and brave and incredibly romantic. I love that it was directed by Sean Penn, he of the “movies are for serious statements, if I wanted to have fun I’d go score an 8 ball and a hooker,” (this is an almost exact quote from him from his Inside the Actor’s Studio interview). He who doesn’t smile when being awarded another Oscar or being lauded for anything for that matter. This movie, his vision and statement, through this movie is one of such hope, joy and love for his fellow human beings that I worry for his profound sense of chagrin and cynicism.

Ok, not really, but you know what I mean.

Between this movie and Milk, I do believe there is hope for Sean Penn yet.

And Emile Hirsch is just gorgeous in this film. He has a way of being in his own skin that is just lovely to watch. His character just embodies catharsis in this movie. For himself and everyone around him; he is a force to be sure.

It’s an amazing journey that gave me a chance to watch someone else walk their own path for a couple of hours. And right now, that is exactly the kind of brain candy I need.