A Walk in the Woods (2015)

After spending two decades in England, Bill Bryson returns to the U.S., where he decides the best way to connect with his homeland is to hike the Appalachian Trail with one of his oldest friends.

Director:

Ken Kwapis

Writers:

Michael Arndt (screenplay) (as Rick Kerb), Bill Holderman (screenplay)

Stars:

Robert Redford, Nick Nolte, Emma Thompson

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert Redford	...	Bill Bryson
Nick Nolte	...	Stephen Katz
Emma Thompson	...	Catherine Bryson
Mary Steenburgen	...	Jeannie
Nick Offerman	...	REI Dave
Kristen Schaal	...	Mary Ellen
R. Keith Harris	...	Sam Bryson
Randall Newsome	...	TV Host
Hayley Lovitt	...	Donna
Linds Edwards	...	Darren
Susan McPhail	...	Beulah
Andrew Vogel	...	Young Hiker #1
Derek Krantz	...	Young Hiker #2
Gaia Wise	...	Becca
Tucker Meek	...	Grandson

Storyline

In this new comedy adventure, celebrated travel writer, Bill Bryson, instead of retiring to enjoy his loving and beautiful wife, 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, though, is anything but, once he agrees to being accompanied by the only person he can find willing to join him on the trek - his long lost and former friend Katz, a down-on-his-luck serial philanderer who, after a lifetime of relying on his charm and wits to keep one step ahead of the law - sees the trip as a way to sneak out of paying some debts and sneak into one last adventure before its too late. The trouble is, the two have a completely different definition of the word, "adventure". Now they're about to find out that when you push yourself to the edge, the real fun begins.

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Plot Keywords:

hiking | appalachian trail | hiker | backpacking | hiking trail | 

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Taglines:

This Labor Day, Take a Hike

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Genres:

Adventure | Biography | Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and some sexual references

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 September 2015 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Walk in the Woods

Filming Locations:

Fontana Dam, North Carolina, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$8,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$8,246,267, 6 September 2015

Gross USA:

$29,504,281

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$37,461,274

Company Credits

Production Co:

Route One Entertainment, Wildwood Enterprises

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The book "A Walk in the Woods" was optioned in 1998 as a project to team Robert Redford and Paul Newman together for the third time. However, years of hurdles getting the film made and Newman's declining health before his death in 2008 ended the potential Redford and Newman reunion. Newman was intended for Nick Nolte's role.

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Goofs

The postcards shown at the end of the movie from Katz are dated 2005, and in real life the hike was in the 1990s. Yet in the movie they stay at a motel with a sign that says "Founded in 1931," and Jeanine said her family has run the motel for 83 years. That would make the year 2014, nine years after Katz sent the postcards while on the trip. Also, the Daft Punk song Get Lucky came out in 2013.

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Quotes

Bill Bryson: Writers don't retire. We either drink ourselves to death or blow our brains out.
TV Host: What will it be for you?
Bill Bryson: After this interview, probably both.

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Connections

Referenced in Half in the Bag: The Visit and Turbo Kid (2015)

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Soundtracks

The Lake
Written by Tim Grimm
Performed by Tim Grimm
Courtesy of Cavalier Music Management & Tim Grimm

User Reviews

Over the hills & thru the Woods..

A Walk in the Woods is essentially a two-hander piece between Robert Redford's Bill Bryson, a traveling writer who teams up with his old companion Stephen Katz (Nick Nolte) for a hike along the 2,000 mile- plus Appalachian Trail. Bryson is a sarcastically funny cynic who has his life in a certain order that has become mundane for him, whereas Katz is a grumpy recovering alcoholic who still tries to re-live and remain in his more youthful days. Their contrasts can appear a tad caricature like, but their acting ability, charm, and on-screen chemistry binds the film together well.

Its a nice witty, little jaunt of a film and while some could be of the opinion that Redford might have wanted to make a bit of an environmental statement here (I disagree), Nolte keeps us entertained all through till the end. Seeing Emma Thompson is always a delight as Redford's wife Catherine Bryson, but it's truly Kristen Schaal as Mary Ellen, the annoying, obnoxious fellow traveler whom talks endlessly and knows all, that brings the most to her small, albeit scene stealing role.

As you might expect, yes there are a few lullsy moments throughout the film but A Walk in the Woods is no Wild nor does it try to be.. it's more 'The Odd Couple' on a roadtrip – buddy type film with Redford as Felix and Nolte as Oscar. It's a safe bet that will appeal to a older audience, though they might be a bit surprised with some of the language by these two wonderful actors and while very sweet..I would definitely put it in the category of "sweet & nice" which is a perfectly okay way to spend a few hours!!

Grade: C

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