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:

When you push yourself to the edge, the real fun begins.

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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 spasso nel bosco

Filming Locations:

Fontana Dam, North Carolina, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$8,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$8,400,000, 6 September 2015, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$29,467,855, 29 November 2015

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

During the beginning of their hike they run into Mary Ellen. She guesses that Bill Bryson was a Gemini. Bill tells her that he is actually a Leo. Robert Redford, who plays Bill, was born in August and is actually a Leo in real life.

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Goofs

The map shown in the shelter is very inaccurate. It does not show the Appalachian Trail passing through West Virginia, New Jersey, or Connecticut. It also reverses New Hampshire and Vermont.

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Quotes

Bill Bryson: [At night, when a female hiker is loudly singing, in an annoying tone, at a late hour] Tomorrow morning, we get up early, before she's awake, and we get a headstart, and lose her.
Stephen Katz: That's a good idea. Better than my idea.
Bill Bryson: What was your idea?
Stephen Katz: We kill her, and steal her Pop Tarts.

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Connections

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

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Soundtracks

Rock You Like a Hurricane
Written by Rudolf Schenker, Klaus Meine & Herman Rarebell
Performed by Scorpions
Courtesy of Sony Music Entertainment Germany GmbH
By arrangement with Sony Music Licensing

User Reviews

WELL WORTH a Walk with Redford and Nolte

I saw this film today. I will happily pay to see it again.

For the hour and 45 minutes or so that a group of strangers sat in the dark to view this story we were all comrades in arms:

The theater was filled with loud guffaws, howls and shrieks of laughter: Joyful foot stomping laughter! I was gasping for breath, helplessly laughing 'til my sides hurt.

It was refreshing to see a comedy that was well paced, brilliantly performed and offered a transcendent philosophy; a huge departure from the formulaic obscenities that Hollywood has churned out in the past 10 years.

This is a Gem: Redford and Nolte create a magnificent chemistry that begs a sequel. Emma Thompson, Mary Steenburgen, Ken Offerman and Kristen Schaal are terrific, artfully rounding out their characters with true craftsmanship.

Don't let 'professional' critics sway you, they get paid to write snarky reviews - go see this for yourselves, you won't regret it.