A Walk in the Woods (2015)
*** (out of 4)
After living overseas for nearly two decades, author Bill Bryson (Robert Redford) decides he wants to walk the Appalachian Trail and goes out searching for a friend to go with him. Everyone turns him down until Stephen (Nick Nolte), a man he hasn't seen in decades, gives him a call and is willing to go. Soon the two are reliving good times as they try to prove everyone wrong and finish the journey.
If you're looking for a film that changes the course of movie history or one that breaks new grounds then you're not going to find it in A WALK IN THE WOODS. If you're looking to see two great actors having fun then there's enough entertainment to keep this film moving even though it's just a few bits more intelligent than something like GRUMPY OLD MEN. In fact, there's certainly nothing challenging to be found in this picture but we all know that Hollywood is a young man's game so getting to see Redford and Nolte playing the leads is reason enough to see this film.
The two veteran actors are certainly the reason to watch the movie as both of them fit perfectly into their roles and make for some memorable characters. Redford is pretty much playing an older version of various characters we've seen him play in the past. Smart, rich, good looking and seemingly having everything that anyone would want in life. He really does nail the comic timing of the performance but there's also something much deeper working. As for Nolte, he certainly isn't that most beautiful man alive anymore but he doesn't shy away from it and has fun in the role of an out of shape man who will try and sleep with anything. The two actors have some wonderful chemistry together and really make for a great team. Emma Thompson and Mary Steenburgen are also fun in their small supporting roles.
The screenplay certainly isn't ground-breaking but I'm not going to bash the film for not being deeper, smarter or more challenging. Not every movie needs to be something overly serious all of the time. A WALK IN THE WOODS is just a fun little movie where two actors get to have some fun and we get a lot of nice scenery along the way.
*** (out of 4)
After living overseas for nearly two decades, author Bill Bryson (Robert Redford) decides he wants to walk the Appalachian Trail and goes out searching for a friend to go with him. Everyone turns him down until Stephen (Nick Nolte), a man he hasn't seen in decades, gives him a call and is willing to go. Soon the two are reliving good times as they try to prove everyone wrong and finish the journey.
If you're looking for a film that changes the course of movie history or one that breaks new grounds then you're not going to find it in A WALK IN THE WOODS. If you're looking to see two great actors having fun then there's enough entertainment to keep this film moving even though it's just a few bits more intelligent than something like GRUMPY OLD MEN. In fact, there's certainly nothing challenging to be found in this picture but we all know that Hollywood is a young man's game so getting to see Redford and Nolte playing the leads is reason enough to see this film.
The two veteran actors are certainly the reason to watch the movie as both of them fit perfectly into their roles and make for some memorable characters. Redford is pretty much playing an older version of various characters we've seen him play in the past. Smart, rich, good looking and seemingly having everything that anyone would want in life. He really does nail the comic timing of the performance but there's also something much deeper working. As for Nolte, he certainly isn't that most beautiful man alive anymore but he doesn't shy away from it and has fun in the role of an out of shape man who will try and sleep with anything. The two actors have some wonderful chemistry together and really make for a great team. Emma Thompson and Mary Steenburgen are also fun in their small supporting roles.
The screenplay certainly isn't ground-breaking but I'm not going to bash the film for not being deeper, smarter or more challenging. Not every movie needs to be something overly serious all of the time. A WALK IN THE WOODS is just a fun little movie where two actors get to have some fun and we get a lot of nice scenery along the way.