X
- 2015
- R
- Broad Green Pictures
- 1 h 44 m
- 2015
- R
- Broad Green Pictures
- 1 h 44 m
Summary Travel writer Bill Bryson (Robert Redford), instead of retiring to enjoy his loving and beautiful wife (Emma Thompson) and large and happy family, challenges himself to hike the Appalachian Trail - 2,200 miles of America’s most unspoiled, spectacular and rugged countryside from Georgia to Maine. The peace and tranquility he hopes to find...
Directed By: Ken Kwapis
Written By: Michael Arndt, Bill Holderman, Bill Bryson
- 2015
- R
- Broad Green Pictures
- 1 h 44 m
- 2015
- R
- Broad Green Pictures
- 1 h 44 m
A Walk in the Woods
51
5.8
Where to Watch
Summary Travel writer Bill Bryson (Robert Redford), instead of retiring to enjoy his loving and beautiful wife (Emma Thompson) and large and happy family, challenges himself to hike the Appalachian Trail - 2,200 miles of America’s most unspoiled, spectacular and rugged countryside from Georgia to Maine. The peace and tranquility he hopes to find...
Directed By: Ken Kwapis
Written By: Michael Arndt, Bill Holderman, Bill Bryson
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 30 Critic Reviews
51
27% Positive
8 Reviews
8 Reviews
63% Mixed
19 Reviews
19 Reviews
10% Negative
3 Reviews
3 Reviews
Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 30 Critic Reviews
51
27% Positive
8 Reviews
8 Reviews
63% Mixed
19 Reviews
19 Reviews
10% Negative
3 Reviews
3 Reviews
A Walk in the Woods serves as a terrific showcase for two exceptionally durable stars.
A Walk in the Woods is surprisingly funny at times but, like many comedies, it runs out of steam about halfway through.
User Score
Mixed or Average
Based on 50 User Ratings
5.8
44% Positive
22 Ratings
22 Ratings
40% Mixed
20 Ratings
20 Ratings
16% Negative
8 Ratings
8 Ratings
User Score
Mixed or Average
Based on 50 User Ratings
5.8
44% Positive
22 Ratings
22 Ratings
40% Mixed
20 Ratings
20 Ratings
16% Negative
8 Ratings
8 Ratings
Rediscovering the old friendship in a long walk.
I am very impressed for the recent films of Robert Redford, but the timing was really bad. His one man show, 'All is Lost' that overlapped with the popular flick 'Life of Pi', and now this with 'Tracks' and 'Wild'. People tend to choose the big one and forget the small one, or simply point the finger to the other one for having similarity. Anyway, I wanted to see it, and I did that.
Like the Pacific Crest Trail from the movie 'Wild' which's from the western part of the Unites States, this one is from the east called Appalachian Trail and both these are the biographical films. The six month trail to cover approximately 2,000 kilometers. Even learning the odds are not in their favour, the two old men embark their journey with the fixed mind to achieve the goal.
I did not know it was a screen adaptation of the real event. I won't consider it a great movie, not even for the year 2015, but it was fun to watch. A sweet little movie that I expected something, but it delivered another thing, overall it satisfied me. Maybe the reason I'm showing concern for this is it is a comedy, so looked lot like an entertainment product than the inspiring theme. But you can't deny the seriousness apart from those fun bits that it was based on someone's memoir. Especially knowing those two men are in the twilight of their lives, the attempt was admirable.
"No, writers don't retire. We either drink ourselves
to death or blow our brains out."
I always love the children and elder people movies with quality narration. Children's films are fun to watch and elder's teaches us their experiences, sometimes sympathy wins for their struggles. There were a couple big female star characters who are the part of the story, but not in the main narration. This film centres only two characters that wonderfully played by the 80 year-old Robert Redford as a 60 year-old Bill Bryson and the other one was Nick Nolte as Katz who actually stole the show. Yep, I must agree Nick Nolte is the backbone of the movie, otherwise the people would have turned away without showing any interest in this including myself.
This film was not all about the hiking or achieving something out of all the sudden in their old age. It let's us a few glimpses of the beautiful landscapes like those we saw in the 17th, 18th century paintings. Despite it being a comedy, mostly it dealt with the facts. Rediscovering the lost friendship and uncovering the old memories. Like the entire life was brought back for a few minutes in the words for us with their sweet recalls.
It is an R rated flick, because the majority of the jokes were adult's. If you decide to watch it, I suggest to give a try with your best friend, because you both might be seeing the future of yourselves. My finishing statement is, it is definitely not a must see, but it won't disappoint either if you're not anticipating in a large scale adventure, that includes emotions and severeness. If it was from before the 90s, probably considered as a good film, but in this modern CGI world, movies about life and self-discovery is fading away from the young people's mind. All they want is superheroes, loud music, fancy costumes, and of course violence.
7/10
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This slight, lightly charming comic adventure is most obviously appealing for the "Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" set — though Bryson himself was in his forties when he made his journey.
The lax, lame A Walk in the Woods is a road movie without a road, a journey of self-discovery without discovery, and a tale of friendship without any chemistry.
So this film feels less like an easy paycheck and more like semi-retirement. Whatever wisdom is coming out of Redford’s mouth as Bryson, it always seems 100 percent clear he pursued the role because the shoot would be beautiful and he could pal around with an old friend.
A middling sitcom.
Even when the film isn’t dealing with women, it’s contemptuous of the world in a way that rapidly becomes one-note and tiresome.
It's not an Oscar winner, the film does what it wants to do entertain the older generation I can appreciate that. Academy Award-winner Robert Redford plays Author Bill Bryson he wants to hike the Appalachian Trail "You are not doing this alone!" Says his wife Katherine (Emma Thompson), so he calls everyone he knows to hike with him and they all say no. He gets the call from his high school friend Stephen Katz (Nick Nolte, it was supposed to be Paul Newman originally but Nolte steals the show) to join him on the 2,200 trail. Along the trail they meet interesting people they meet Mary Ellen (Kristen Shaal) an annoying not very wise we'll put it quite loony, whom Bryson and Katz ditch so they won't have to deal with her for their sake. Bryson meets a beautiful hotel manager played decently by Mary Steenburgen. Katz meets an overweight but beautiful woman (in Katz's mind) at a washing dryer store he tries to have sex with her until her overweight husband in a red pick up truck comes and gets him. Screenwriters Bill Holderman and Rick Kerb don't care about the fans of the source material, they just think we'll love it anyways and we just have to accept the mistakes. First of all, The real Bill Bryson hiked the trail when he was in his 40's. His real wife's name is not Catherine it's Cynthia. Reford is too old (no offense). Despite all of that its a good adaptation. Director Ken Kwapis (He's Just Not That Into You) captures breathetaking scenery. It has the soul of Bryson's memoir, it has the laugh out loud humor and Reford has his charisma and Nolte gives us plenty of laughs playing an old beaten down man. If your a fan of the book like me, you'll enjoy it and have some complaints. It's not for the old generation it tries to have a spot in the Labor Day special and it succeeds. Grade B+
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Ouch, this movie is painful to watch. Some laughs from Nolte, but Redford is DOA. Do not go see this movie if you are under 45. This one is strictly for the oldies. It was a sea of white hair in the audience. The cinematography is totally uninspired. If anyone wants to hike the Appalachian, this movie will not inspire you. The special effects of the (fake) snow storm were mid-90s bad. The encounters along the journey were contrived: hitchhiking with drunk newly-engaged rednecks; falling off a cliff; the "bears in the camp" scene. Again, some mild chuckles to be had. I would wait and rent the DVD to watch on Thanksgiving Day with Grandma and Grandpa. Now that I think about it, Redford is 80. Bryson was 50 when he did the trip. Redford may be the only reason this movie got produced but I wish he would've taken his ego out of it and stayed behind the camera. Woulda been much better to show a younger old man, than a painfully old man.
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Production Company
Route One Entertainment,
Wildwood Enterprises
Release Date Sep 2, 2015
Duration 1 h 44 m
Rating R
Tagline When you push yourself to the edge, the real fun begins.
Awards
Georgia Film Critics Association (GAFCA)
• 1 Nomination
