A Walk in the Woods (2015)

After spending two decades in England, Bill Bryson (Robert Redford) 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, Stephen Katz (Nick Nolte).

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 (Robert Redford), instead of retiring to enjoy his loving and beautiful wife, Catherine (Dame Emma Thompson), and large and happy family, challenges himself to hike the Appalachian Trail - two thousand two hundred 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 Stephen Katz (Nick Nolte), 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 ...

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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

Did You Know?

Trivia

Robert Redford and Nick Nolte were in their seventies when this movie was shot. The real Bill Bryson and Stephen Katz were forty-four the summer they attempted to hike the Appalachian Trail.

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Goofs

The sweat marks on Katz's T-shirt during the car rental scene show three different patterns.

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Quotes

Bill Bryson: You said I couldn't go alone.
Catherine Bryson: Well, presuming you were going to get somebody responsible.
Bill Bryson: You don't even know him...
Catherine Bryson: Well, I know the stories.
Bill Bryson: Didn't he have a drinking problem?
Catherine Bryson: We all had drinking problems.
Bill Bryson: Well, you two ended up on each other's nerves in Europe.
Catherine Bryson: No, no, no, no. We started out on each other's nerves. We ended up despising each other.

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Connections

Referenced in Half in the Bag: 2015 Re-Cap (So Far) (2015)

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Soundtracks

Tickin' Bomb
Written by Cary Ann Hearst & Michael Trent (as Michael Trent Robinson)
Performed by Shovels & Rope
Courtesy of Dualtone Music Group

User Reviews

Read the book, watch the film then hike the trail.

Caught a screening of this movie in Salt Lake City. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy put it on. What a fun movie, Nolte is great in it!! I was quite surprised on how funny he was. Redford and Nolte make a good team. About time a Bryson book got up on the big screen. I wonder how much of an increase in foot traffic there will be on the AT after this movie gets released. I'm sure next summer will be quite a bit busier. If a movie makes me want to go to the location/s it takes place I count that as a great movie. If you are a fan of the book, actors, hiking, nature or have hiked the AT you should enjoy this one. Well worth the visit to the cinema.

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