Randonneurs amateurs

I really enjoyed this movie mixed of light comic touches and thought-provoking scenes. It's not a movie which wins over audience with dramatic turns and characterization. So I would recommend you to enjoy it alone or with someone who has similar patience as you. The story, as the name of the movie suggests, a walk in the wood, takes you for a causal walk into the nature. It leads you to look for the lost good qualities in human beings or make a good reflection on the past. This story is for me like a walk which makes me ponder over what adventures await in my future and how experience changes a person. There are a lot of interesting dialogues sparked with age-old memory and wisdom between these two characters: Katz and Bryson. They are grumpy, funny, and adorable. On top of that, the wood sceneries are gorgeous too.

Although the characters portrayed are probably older than me, I could relate to aspects of combining nature, friendship, and fresh air that goes along with hiking anywhere. I am an outdoors-man and I knew I would like this movie like I did, simply because of the hiking, camping, and philosophical air. Of course, the actors made the movie even more enjoyable for me as I thought about past entertainments from this crown and began to remember how they made me laugh in the past and take life in strides and enjoy. I recommend watching this movie simply to inspire people to step out of their normal routines once in while, get a level set, and remember to enjoy life versus stress over it all of the time.

Bill Bryson is a national treasure. His books are so pleasant to read. This book takes us on a natural joyride. This is the kind of thing that would attract Robert Redford, and it did. Redford plays the middle aged Bryson who, after attending the funeral of a friend his age, decides to hike the Appalachian Trail, a hiking trip of over 2000 miles from Georgia to Maine, much to the chagrin of his wife. He joins up with the only guy who is willing to accompany him, an overweight, recovering alcoholic played by Nick Nolte. Bryson/Redford has no respect for this guy. The complaining starts after they've gone about a hundred years. As time goes along, there is a story to tell and it is charming. Unfortunately, the good buddies thing, while entertaining, has been done so many times. Nolte is a really interesting character, while Redford is stiff and pretty boring. It's very predictable. The scenery is great and we get a sense of what is involved in all of this. Not a bad movie. It's just a little lacking in oomph.

I really wanted to see A Walk in the Woods.I should have known better. Bill Bryson is my favorite author and A Walk in the Woods is one of my favorite Bryson books.I know how movie makers take the printed word and turn into something totally different on the screen. So it is with this film. I really couldn't recognize anything about this movie.This really should have been call Grumpy Old Hikers. I suppose that if I had not associated the movie with the book,I should have enjoyed it a great deal more.My wife thought is was a wonderful movie but she has never read the book.

For me the biggest problem was that I thought Redford was totally miscast as Bill Bryson. He makes Bryson a kind of judgmental, holier then thou, snob. Nolte as Katz is very amusing as a crusty old Iowa coot with an overactive libido and he takes the comedy honors. Mary Steenburgen has a nice little turn as a MILF motel owner named Jeannie who gives Bryson the eye. Emma Thompson is totally wasted as Mrs Bryson. Sandra Ellis Lafferty has a short but hilarious bit as Jeannie's widowed mom who develops an immediate sexual fixation on Katz.The rest of the cast is unmemorable.

I can't recommend this movie. I was just too disappointed in it.

I enjoyed this film. No politics, no pandering, just light humor involving two old codgers doing something really stupid. It's a good and relaxing watch with a strong cast led by Redford and Nolte.