WildLike

We came across this movie on Amazon streaming. The young British actress Ella Purnell is very good in the role of 14-yr-old Mackenzie, her performance carries the movie. Bruce Greenwood is his old reliable self as Bart, the recent widower who is on a presumably solo hiking and camping trip in Denali.

Her mother is having some issues and is unable to properly care for her daughter, so Mackenzie is sent to live for a while with her uncle in Alaska. He gets creepy right away, crawling into her bed at night, so when she gets a chance she grabs her backpack of belongings and heads away, with no particular destination in mind. She just wants to get away.

She encounters Bart entirely by accident, she starts to follow him, he tries to get rid of her but she is persistent. He senses something is very troubling to the girl but she won't talk about it. As a viewer it was a bit frustrating that she wouldn't talk about her situation and why she was in the wilds alone.

This is a quite different take on teenage angst and frankly as the last 15 to 20 minutes concluded I was happy with the way it was scripted. Bart did some things that set the girl up for better prospects and gave the creepy uncle some incentives to never bother her again.

My wife and I enjoyed the viewing.

WildLike unfolds beautifully on screen - an authentic and thoughtful tale of recovery, relationships, healing and hope.

Mackenzie (Ella Purnell) must leave Washington state and go live with her uncle (Brian Geraghty) when her troubled mother enters a treatment and counseling program. Although seemingly conflicted, his lingering, uncomfortable gazes eventually give way to inappropriate behavior, and Mackenzie decides to flee his custody and find her way home. However she quickly realizes that Juneau will be difficult to leave, fully bordered by either mountains or water. A chance encounter with the recently widowed backpacker, Rene Bartlett (Bruce Greenwood), evolves into a method of escape, and Bart finds himself an unwitting partner in Mackenzie's plan to return to Seattle. Set amidst the majestic Alaskan wilderness - a place of boundless beauty, challenges and respite - their journey soon becomes more important than the destination. Free from distractions, Bart and Mackenzie (small against this magnificent landscape), experience the power of redemption and restoration. When Bart realizes the gravity of Mackenzie's situation, his concern for her deepens, and he realizes that her salvation is dependent upon his reaction.

This is a quiet, subtle film. In fact, there are times when the mountains seem to speak loudest. Indecencies against children are far too common, and they frequently happen in a "non-Hollywood" manner; often discreetly and calmly perpetrated by those closest to the victim. Attempts to navigate life and its relationships, after being victimized, are fraught with difficulties, leaving survivors confused and distrustful. Modern movies have become somewhat scarce on pure heroes. Even "good guys" are frequently so flawed that it's difficult to really root for them. The strength and tenacity shown by Purnell's character, along with the true unfettered goodness exuded by Greenwood, are welcome and refreshing.

WildLike masterfully proves that sometimes the Last Frontier is actually the beginning of a new life.

Not only does this film (through its actors and director) tackle a difficult subject with sensitivity and a realistic touch, but its portrayal of a trip to Alaska is spot on. Having lived and traveled there for several years I think the film captures the sights, travel and exploring the Great Land in an equally honest and straightforward way.

The actors neither overplay their roles nor sleep through their performances.

Not a Hollywood blockbuster and not filmed with a blockbuster budget. And maybe that's why this film succeeds on several levels.

Well done.

I liked the film- thoughtful, visually engrossing, and deft in the complicated unraveling of the protagonist's story with a sensitivity that conveys a genuine understanding of humanity's harsher realities. Greenwood and Purnell delivered in what I'd have to call the redemption of all things good in humanity in an environment that doesn't nurture such things. Inspiring. Good storytelling here is the reason. Dealing with subject matter as potentially volatile and devastating as this can be without losing sight of the story is a very good summation of Frank Hall Green's skill as a filmmaker. I wouldn't be surprised if WILDLIKE became something of a benchmark film for a number of organizations who provide services and support for victims. This isn't a story of victimization however- it's the story of resilience and how even the simplest of gestures can result in profound hope and recovery. Highly recommend!

Ella Purnell is actually Mary Pickford, she doesn't have to say a thing, she is that much of a natural.

Can the English acting fraternity just stop sending one breakout ingénue after another already, its becoming embarrassing for the young American actors. Bruce Greenwood knocks it out of the park AGAIN. He just cant help himself, one award winning turn after another that doesn't get seen. Bravisimo to all on this film , a great job, it must have been a lot of fun to make this film on location !! The bear deserves woolly applause too, as does the majestic Alaskan seascapes and landscapes , I cannot recommend this indie enough.