Wildlike

It would be a mistake to say that this film could've worked without the strong, effective performances by the two main characters. They do a great job of carrying the film, and probably make it better than it has any right to be. Don't get me wrong, that's not to say that the film isn't good. It is, in fact, but I do wish the screenplay had been refined just a little bit more in order to really have the full effect of what the film's ambition is aiming for. As it is, it still gets its point across pretty well, and it definitely deserves a wider audience than the one it has gotten. Definitely recommended for all people interested in a sensitive, subtle film.

Saw this at Austin Film Festival. Wildlike tackles a very difficult topic with great sensitivity. Powerful filmmaking. Beautiful imagery. Concise, strong writing. Great acting.

Ella Purnell (MacKenzie) strikes a wonderful balance between troubled teen and innocent victim. I really appreciated the subtleties of her performance. But the character that brought humanity and hope to film was Rene Bartlett played by Bruce Greenwood. Greenwood creates a quiet, modern-day hero, not one with superpowers and a cape, but a common man guided by his principles and integrity.

In a wilderness as remote and vast as Alaska, Wildlike never gets lost.

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!

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.