A very pretty but unconvincing depiction of the life of Christopher McCandless

Rating: 7/10 (21 January 2009)

Finally got round to watching this last night. I very much enjoyed the cinematography, the way the story was told and the locations that were shot for the making of the film. It looked beautiful, capturing very well the concept of what it is to be 'free' and to appreciate the natural world by comparison to our comfortable urban/suburban lifestyles. The photography at times was breathtaking and gave a real sense of how epic North America is and the contrast of landscapes within it's borders. The narration in the film and his own advice to himself and others I found to be heartwarming and thought provoking at times. I especially liked the idea of everyone having to measure themselves at points in their life to see if they are truly strong in body, mind and character.
There was a niggle that got to me throughout the film though, and it's probably only really based on my own prejudices and life experiences. I found it quite hard to sympathise with the main character, who seemed like a spoilt 22 year-old rich-kid that had read a few books and felt like he knew the world, imparting life-changing advice on unsuspecting hippies (and even a war veteran that had lost his wife and child in a car accident, arguably more learned than a well read college graduate???) along his journey. I'm not sure whether this part of the story has any basis in truth or whether this was an attempt by the family/director/writer to make his life and ultimate death seem more tragic/heroic/entertaining.
The basis for his rather melodramatic social self-exclusion seemed to be rooted in his parent's tempestuous relationship and his secret family history, which, in my eyes, amounted to nothing more than an angsty teenager sticking his bottom lip out, dismissing his family and extremely fortunate (albeit frustratingly pre-determined) education/career prospects and selfishly indulging in his own 'quest for adventure' without caring about the impact on his family. People in the world have to deal with much more horrendous things than their parents buying them a new car for their graduation and they do so, usually without torturing the people that care about them. It seemed as though his behaviour was validated by his intellect but again, I suspect this was a spin put on the film, orchestrated by his family, and acted out in particular by his sister, who's character narrates throughout.
The counter argument to this is that you are not necessarily supposed to sympathise with the main character. His lifestyle is questioned by the hippy woman who sees her own estranged son in him and by the old man who doubts Chris' claim that the basis for happiness is not in human relationships. The man, wise in his old age, doesn't bow down to this sentiment, instead proposing adoption. The protagonist's ultimate realisation of the flaw in his own argument however, comes when he scribbles, on his deathbed, the words 'happiness is only real if shared'.
So on one hand I enjoyed the lead's subversive attitude and determination to follow his own path, rejecting the ugly flaws of modern 'society' and the poetic critique of human nature but on the other, I was frustrated by the way his character was indulgently depicted as a Jesus-like figure, following an intellectual path to an enlightenment that superseded any concept of consideration for others whilst the film barely recognised the inevitable naivety and arrogance of upper-middle-class American youth.
On the whole I enjoyed the journey and found much of it very inspiring. At times I was deeply moved, particularly during the scene when he leaves the old man. A film I would definitely recommend to others, I'd award it 7/10. x