just curious, and i will simplify this so i dont write another 3 paragraphs, do your reviews imply that thoreau was a crappy writer as well?

and calling this suicide? i know that we all make our own decisions, but suicide implies you want to die - on the contrary, i feel like this young man wanted to live, just on his own terms. while i agree he was somewhat naive to think he could do it, and ultimately his death was due to this, i find it harsh to call it a suicide (but maybe i just feel that way bc ive known a few people who have committed suicide and its a touching subject for me).

also, only 1 of you half wrote about eddie vedder...his soundtrack is amazing, with or without the movie. i know its a movie review, but the score is part of the movie and i thought it was damn fine

That's quite a pretentious leap to compare our dislike for Christopher McCandless to Thoreau. You say he wanted to live, just on his own terms. I agree. But to me his terms were selfish. I'll grant you he was naive, to the point of stupidity.

Friends have been trying to get me to watch this for a while now. I finally did. I found myself having cynical thoughts from the start and had to check myself... only to find that well... I agree with everything the 3 of you said in your reviews. lol This "kid" right pissed me off. Selfish is an understatement. Penn really disappointed with this nonsense.

Judging by our near egual amount of thumbs up and thumbs down, this movie, and our reviews, are very polarizing.

Friends have been trying to get me to watch this for a while now. I finally did. I found myself having cynical thoughts from the start and had to check myself... only to find that well... I agree with everything the 3 of you said in your reviews. lol This "kid" right pissed me off. Selfish is an understatement. Penn really disappointed with this nonsense.

very polarizing. i feel as though you have to have a bit of a cynical outlook on life to be that negative towards this film. If you didnt agree with the actions of McCandless, surely you could at least appreciate the stuggle of a man for tranquility- no? And the filmmaking was just superb, great cinematography, great soundtrack, exceptional editing, acting could have been better in some respects, but Hirsh's performance was far from dry. I'd be interested to know what you make of films like Away We Go or Life is Beautiful?

I don't agree that a cynical outlook on life is needed to dislike this movie and especially the selfish main character. He could have searched for tranquility, as you put it, in any number of less selfcentered and self-destructive ways.

We have yet to review Away We Go but here is a link to our Life is Beautiful review.
http://www.threemoviebuffs.com/review/lifeisbeautiful

Wow..some pretty unprofessional reviewing I must say, giving it one and 1/2 stars because you didn't like the 'whiney bitch ass' main character, as you put it, says alot

Yes, it says we have good taste in movies.

I think that this story is inspiring, plus it's a true story so just because you dont like a real person you cant give them 1 1/2 stars. He escapes the best way he knows how to, Plus he almost makes it. He may be selfish but it's a true story.

Just because it's a true story, doesn't make it a good movie.

How is the story of a coward running away from his family inspiring?

You want to talk about self-absorption and arrogance?! Not for a goddamned second did your analysis of this movie give you and credibility as a critic. This movie was meant to finally put a finger on the struggles with society so many have given up on. He knew that the life he was living and the time he was born into was simply a life he wanted nothing to do with. The movie is meant to be a message to those who feel the same that there is always the chance to escape. And for God's sake, how do you call a man who leaves everything behind for a life of freedom a coward? Just because he moves on from the security and simplicity, and misery that is the average American life makes him the DIRECT opposite of a coward. The fact that people can't recognize this message just proves how justified McCandless's views on today's society actually are.

You want to talk about self-absorption and arrogance?! Not for a goddamned second did your analysis of this movie give you and credibility as a critic. This movie was meant to finally put a finger on the struggles with society so many have given up on. He knew that the life he was living and the time he was born into was simply a life he wanted nothing to do with. The movie is meant to be a message to those who feel the same that there is always the chance to escape. And for God's sake, how do you call a man who leaves everything behind for a life of freedom a coward? Just because he moves on from the security and simplicity, and misery that is the average American life makes him the DIRECT opposite of a coward. The fact that people can't recognize this message just proves how justified McCandless's views on today's society actually are.

My Side of the Mountain made the same point, only much better, over 40 years ago. And with a (13-year-old) hero you could actually root for. He wasn't completely self-absorbed and he actually took the time to learn important survival skills.

He was not moving on from the security and simplicity, and misery that is the average American life. He was running away from responsibility, such as college and a career. You may want to put him on a pedestal, but he accomplished nothing worth emulating. Anyone can walk off and die in the wilderness alone. It takes courage to face life and what it throws at you. Children run away from home, not real men.

Well said, Eric.