Review of Robert Redford and Nick Nolte's A WALK IN THE WOODS - Sundance 2015
For anyone who has ever wanted to watch The Lord of the Rings, but thought that the pace was just too fast and the characters were just too young, then A Walk in the Woods is just right for you. Walk in the Woods, starring Robert Redford and Nick Nolte, is a film based on Bill Bryson's book of the same name. It follows two elderly men who decide to take on the treacherous Appalachian Trail and all of the twists and turns that follow them along the road.
Altogether, the movie was, as critics will probably put it, "a fun romp." There are plenty of funny moments spread throughout the movie, although at times the pace is a little slow. Jokes that require a quick, sharp punch feel more like a lofty slug in the arm. Edits tend to linger a bit too long to really hammer in jokes, as if the audience may have missed what was supposed to be funny. This led to a more than a few "I get it" moments. That being said, I can't say that the movie was void of comedy. Almost all of the ensemble was funny and brought life to the movie, as did the spectacular combined efforts of Redford and Nolte.
There were plenty of moments where I found myself laughing at the great synergy of Redford and Nolte. Much of their performance reminded me of other great duos like Lemon and Matthau or Spade and Farley. Nolte perfectly embodied an old, out of shape man whose loneliness and irascibility makes him hilarious yet heartwarming. His antics often were cringeworthy in the best of ways. One particular moment, when he hit on a larger woman, made my skin crawl. All in all, though, he seemed honest and real, even in his larger than life moments.
Redford also had quite a bit of honesty in his portrayal, but at the beginning of the movie he was a little boring. He seemed like a father from the Sunday funnies instead of an ex-explorer and world traveler. I guess that's what made his performance particularly interesting to me. He was boring at the beginning, which made his desire to go on this trip all the more interesting. His experience made him more likeable throughout. The one thing I wished for from Redford would have been more frustration. As a comic myself, and having played the straight man in many comedic situations, I have learned that to enhance funny moments, you have to get frustrated and upset with things at hand. While there were moments of this in the movie, I felt Redford was far too happy and likeable. I wanted more moments where they were at each other's throats. The passion just seemed tired.
One last thing that can be said is that the cinematography was beautiful. Shots of the trail were filmed well and made you truly realize the grandness of it all. This was largely due to the critically acclaimed director of photography, John Bailey. As a filmmaker, I know one of the hardest things to film in is weather and woods, but John takes the challenge in stride and sets up the shots perfectly.
All in all, I felt the movie was interesting and funny, but was fit for an older generation. The pace and timing might be stronger suited for an audience that needs a little more time to get jokes. As a younger man, I found myself getting the punchline before the setup was finished. It never really hits a fast pace, which, in all honesty, can be ok. It doesn't advertise itself as an exhilarating, nonstop thrill ride. It is what is says: A walk in the woods. A leisurely, beautiful, funny, walk in the woods. A perfect movie for a Sunday afternoon.