Subversive poke at the backpacking culture...

Rating: 8/10 (17 March 2010)

I don't know how many times I've been on holidays in the most incredible and interesting places and overhear tourists or exchange students who just don't get it. Backpackers who remember Florence for the ice cream or in 3 weeks have discovered and are bored by all the glories of Rome.
I loved irony in the beach enclave believing they are superior for sitting on a beach that no-one knows, for not making it touristy, and for agreeing not to bother the indigenous workers with their partying. This is exactly the culture of so many backpackers to Thailand - find the best remotest coolest place to get stoned and party.
I loved the part where DiCaprio acts out Apocalypse Now, smug in his superiority in actually messing with the working farmers, rather than sitting in a theatre watching the movie, completely uncaring about the consequences to anyone but himself.
But the best part is at the end, when he is back home and is completely unchanged from the people who never experienced what he has, except for a picture of his group partying. He completely misses the ironic intent of the sender that he is failing to appreciate what the universe is telling him just as many American viewers missed the filmmaker's poke at their culture...