Finding adventure and challenging himself are the goals of Bill Bryson, played by Robert Redford, in the movie “A Walk in the Woods.” However, the film itself does little to challenge typical “buddy movie” conventions.
Redford plays a retired travel writer who, discontent with growing older, decides to hike the Appalachian Trail. The primary relationship in the film is that between Bryson and Stephen Katz, played by Nick Nolte, who is the only one of Bryson’s old travel buddies that he could convince to join his trip. Bryson and Katz could never get along, but seem to want to try -- Katz out of loneliness, and Bryson seemingly out of a need to reconnect with his younger self.
Redford is always a compelling presence, and here he displays his sardonic wit as the straight man to Nolte’s grumbly, cantankerous old character. Nolte’s shtick is amusing, occasionally bringing up the absurdity of old men hiking the Appalachians. It works in stints, but ultimately it comes off as cartoonish. This might not be a criticism if the script took more chances, but the main character’s escapades mostly contrast his childish attitude with his age, a joke that gets obvious quickly.
The main problem with “A Walk in the Woods” is the relatively tepid script. As they hike, the guys joke and discuss their past love affairs and adventures abroad, but they never really say anything. The film never fills in the gaps about their past connection or why Katz admires Bryson enough to hike across several states with him. Bryson never really makes clear what was keeping him from writing, or his true discontentment with old age. The dialogue never goes beyond a comic discussion of aging, and the characters never display much depth or learn anything from one another.
There are several moments of sadness throughout the course of the movie, but the characters of “A Walk in the Woods” are never examined closely enough to imbue the drama with much meaning. There is also no physical intensity to the action in the film. It could have been great, but it just didn’t take that next step.
Technically speaking, the landscapes are well-shot, with several gorgeous panoramas of the Appalachians. These add to the feel of the journey these men are taking, but there is never any real sense of danger. The film never shifts much in tone during the exploration of its subject.
“A Walk in the Woods” is not unpleasant to watch. It’s generally well constructed, but ultimately middle of the road in quality. Director Ken Kwapis paints the story with too broad a brush, going for general sufficiency over specific development, and the film doesn’t say much about growing, aging or its characters.
Nathan Reynolds is a freelance reporter for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at culture@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @yayap001.
