Into the Wild

Into the Wild

By: Jude Maddenburg

Written by: Jon Krakauer

Directed by: Sean Penn

Staring: Emile Hirsch

This film based on a true story and national bestselling book, is about a young man named Chris fresh out of college giving away all he has, washing his hands of society, and living off of the land; without informing his family of his plans. It has a parallel of three different plots, which are all intertwined. The first plot is with Chris and his family immediately after his graduation and from there is how they react to him leaving. The second plot is with Chris as he travels across the United States to reach Alaska meeting all diverse people and working different jobs in towns all across America. Lastly is the plot with Chris in Alaska and his life when his is truly Into the Wild. It is classified as a drama, but it has a fair amount of humor in it and will bring you to tears. Though this may sounds like another film that could be forgotten in a few years, it is truly a powerful story that will challenge you to think about your connection with the world around you. It is films like this that can make an impact in ourselves and in our society. Even if the storyline doesn’t interest you, the stunning scenery throughout the film is worth the viewing, almost giving you a tour of south and north western America. The direction by Sean Penn stands out compared to the majority of “cookie-cutting directing” that we have seen recently in film; helping Sean Penn be labeled as a director we can count on for a exceptional film. With a soundtrack that is completely written and performed by Eddie Vedder(the lead singer and one of the guitarist of Pearl Jam), it has a very personalized sound throughout the film. Also staring Jena Malone, Marcia Gay Harden, Vince Vaughn, Kristen Stewart, William Hurt and Catherine Keener. Which also puts this film as a must see with many strong actors and actresses, especially the lead, Emile Hirsch, who truly makes a name for himself as a mature and influential actor that will hopefully be sticking around. Overall, I give this film 4 and a half out of five stars.