Well I did go to see the film, at Bradford's National Media Museum*

Er, that's it.

*Recommended, for its three cinemas including IMAX, and free galleries, where there are many interesting exhibitions including changing-content shows and one of very few surviving Wallace & Gromit sets.

++++++++++

Oh all right then, because it's about a walk of the Appalachian Trail (AT).

Is it a good film ? No.

Is it worth seeing ? No, except for the scenery (which gets above the trees enough to be memorable, particularly if you've been on the AT).

Is Redford any good ? No. Well he's better than he often has been, but that's not saying much.

Is Nolte any good ? Yes, it's a good comic turn with a self-aware heart.

Is Thompson any good ? Of course, but she's on screen for less than 10 or 15 minutes.

Why did Redford make it ? It seems to have been originally intended for himself and Paul Newman, possibly directed by Chris Columbus (Harry Potter) or Barry Levinson (Rain Man). After Newman's death it was no doubt put on the back burner, perhaps re-awakening after the success of 'Wild' (Reese Witherspoon on the Pacific Crest Trail, very good IMO).

Is is a realistic portrayal of walking a National Trail ? Not even that. It was filmed on only small parts of the AT (Wikipedia says mainly Georgia), it hardly rains, none of the rucksacks (including those carried by passing extras) are heavy enough - the right size but no more content than day-packs, no blisters, no pack-welts, no hardships (only 25% of through-hikers complete).

Is it faithful to the original book ? No. Not even Redford's age (born 1936) is right - Bryson (born 1951, mid-40s at the time). They do only part of the AT, Bryson and Katz skipped to further north and Bryson later did more. Bryson and Katz didn't have all the film's featured adventures (women, bears, a fall into a ravine). They began with the same lightweight gear as they ended with (Katz discarded lots at the start). Bryson goes on at length about hypothermia and Mt. Washington, neither of which are in the film.

Is it funny ? Yes in a few places, but few of them to do with long-distance walking. The book's much better in that, and many other, regards.

In short, don't bother unless you're a big fan of Redford and like trees (oh and bears - *of course* they don't hang their food up). I'm sure Redford *has* carried a full backpack and knows at least something about doing LDPs - he's very fit, much more than Bryson was at the time. So why make it - the packs and the film - so lightweight ?

The DVD should be out before long - and in a supermarket bin near you soon after that.

Iain.

Due for UK release on September 18th is the third major film in recent years whose co-star is an LDP. This one is an adaptation of Bill Bryson's 1998 book recounting his walk of 800 miles of the Appalachian Trail. The film stars Robert Redford as Bryson, Nick Nolte as his co-walker Katz and Emma Thompson as his wife. Directed by Ken Kwapis, produced by Redford and others, written by Bill Holderman and Rick Kerb (me neither).

Who would have thought that Hollywood would turn its attention to stories about National Trails ? First there was 2010's 'The Way' (Martin Sheen on the Camino de Santiago, poor to merely okay IMO), then 2014's 'Wild' (Reese Witherspoon on the Pacific Crest Trail, very good IMO), now this one. What's next ? Tom Cruise runs the Continental Divide Trail ? Or how about Viggo Mortensen (he's a horse person) doing the Pennine Bridleway on horseback ? (The BBC would probably get Clare Balding for that one).

Mind you, as Clare would write (annoying, isn't it ?), the star of the new film might turn out to be the Eastern USA trail itself rather than Redford (he's often been more wooden than the trees in the title). In the YouTube trailer he looks rather fitter than Bryson described himself at the start of the walk - Nolte's rotundity is more like it - and just as well that Thompson wasn't with them on the walk since she can out-act them both.

Anyone want to go see it in Bradford ? Sept 18th is a Friday, I don't yet know if it's on at Pictureville.

Iain.