"A Walk In The Woods" (2015)

This isn’t a great movie, but it is a poignant one. More of what it could’ve been than what it actually was. In this sense, it could’ve transcended the weak material.

You see, Paul Newman was suppose to play Robert Redford’s walking partner. Can you imagine the possibilities of that? It would essentially be Butch Cassidy and Sundance back and reliving their adventures. There’s even a moment where in the movie they’re stuck on a cliff. Wouldn’t that have brought back memories? It’s not that Nick Nolte doesn’t do an acceptable job, but somehow I kept imagining Newman saying the lines and excited about the possibilities.

The story is about Bill Bryson, a writer who lived as an ex-patriot American who married an Englishwoman (Emma Thompson). He’s a writer of travel throughout Europe. And has been awarded throughout his career. When learning about the death of friends, it jars him into figuring out what the real accomplishments have been. It turns out, he doesn’t want to wait to die. So he decides to hike the Appalachian trail. An over 2,000 mile treacherous hike. Apparently many quit within the first week. His wife gives him a mandate that he can’t travel alone. Much to his dismay, all his friends have either physical ailments, no interest, or just mock his late-life crisis. Except for one friend. And not even a friend. A man whom he’d lost contact with 40 years earlier. Enter Nick Nolte. Upon their reunion, you realize he’s lived a rough life. You get the sense he hasn’t let go of his past, but really still lives in the midst of it. A party guy who doesn’t even realize it’s over. So he lives a rambling life. Devoid of stability. He reaches out to Redford to go on this trek. What reason may he have?

Of course, they run into interesting quirky characters. You understand that these MUST be people that they encounter in real life. Which I feel they could’ve exploited more of. I think they’ve milked the travelers properly, but it seems they run out of gas, since they start to veer far off the trail. Also, you don’t fully understand how far they’ve actually traveled. There is a moment when they read a map, but it seems there needs to sense the trek in them. Then as fast as it begins, it also seems to end.

I like that Redford doesn’t fear looking the fool. There are broad comedy moments that you don’t expect from someone who is usually seen as being so serious. He enjoys a good shit joke. Or a bear attack joke that is reminiscent of something that Chris Farley would do. In that sense, I respect that fearlessness.

It’s a good watch on a slow night. No new ground broken, but the two do have fun. And there are moments which ring extremely true for me, especially when it came to the past drunken days that take a toll as older men. The thing is, this movie is about not doing enough in your life. Which it's hard to imagine someone like Redford or Nolte would experience, but it's interesting and nice to see that we're not alone in this.