Overrated and overhyped

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

So many things in this movie didn't work for me. I've read many of Bill Bryson's books and I get his style and humour. I don't think the director did.The casting, I didn't think Redford was a convincing Bryson, maybe Nolte would have been better cast in the lead. Redford is too refined and clean cut. Then, as Bryson's wife Emma Thompson didn't work for me either, there was no chemistry between them. I suffered the first hour and a half and fell asleep, I really should have quit earlier.

'A Walk in the Woods' is basically a middle-aged "bromance" movie. It just happens to be based on Bill Bryson's fantastic 1998 eponymous true-story book. Full disclosure - Bryson is one of my favourite authors, always having something interesting or funny to say. The film is not quite about Bryson (Redford)'s mid-life crisis (as he's now in his 70s, not 40s like the book), but he and a formerly-estranged friend, Stephen Katz (Nolte) set off on the Appalachian Trail, which spans America's east coast, from Georgia in the South to Maine in the North - 2,100 miles (~3,500km)!From the director of 'He's Just Not That Into You' and 'The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants' - not a promising pedigree! - Kwapis nonetheless does a good job of keeping the pace up, which can be hard when it's mostly two guys just walking and talking! But therein lies the beauty of the film - it's simple and sweet, with plenty of jokes and wit between the two old friends, some quick interactions with other hikers on the Trail (such as Schaal, gratingly funny!) and some breathtaking wilderness shots.It did remind me of my time in the U.S., when I did visit the Pisgah Forest in North Carolina and the Great Smoky National Park in Tennessee, where they start their hike. The scenery is helped by Lord Huron's soundtrack, which is folky, but upbeat. The final third is not as engaging as it could be, but there's some sincere moments to be found amongst the humour and everything is propelled by Nolte & Redford's enjoyable chemistry.

Retired travel writer Robert Redford is bored. He has a beautiful house, a loving wife, Emma Thompson, and semi-affectionate grandchildren, but he's bored. His idea? Getting together with a buddy and hiking the Appalachian trail, or as he phrases it when he calls all his friends, "going for a walk in the woods." Hence the title.The only snag in his plan? None of his friends want to join him—except Nick Nolte, whom he hasn't seen in decades. They don't see eye to eye on much, but they're stuck together during this hilarious and sweet movie about finding happiness. When you're not laughing yourself silly from every line Nick Nolte delivers, you'll be able to appreciate the beautiful nature that surrounds them, and it's always great to see Robert Redford in a setting he loves so passionately. He gives a little speech about how important it is to appreciate and protect nature, and the movie wouldn't feel complete without it.I absolutely love this movie, and I can't think of anyone I wouldn't recommend it to. There isn't anyone in the world who hates Robert Redford, and there's nothing offensive in the script. It's funny, clever, thoughtful, touching, and wise.

The first shot of Robert Redford in this film is rather surprising; the 80 year old glamour '70s boy looks like he should be darkening his hair and play Ronald Reagan after he left the White House. Yes, those first few moments are very jarring, especially when it is established that he is married to Emma Thompson. A supposedly popular expert on travel, he wants to hike the entire Appalation trail (from Georgia to Maine) and ends up bringing along (reluctantly at first) the out of shape, drunken, raspy voiced Nick Nolte. Along the way, they meet a bunch of mostly annoying people, deal with all sorts of inclimate weather and a series of wacky, unbelievable situations that would make Hope and Crosby blush.So the idea of traveling down the Appalations or the continental divide has crossed my mind (and passed me by), but at least here, I get to see what part of the east coast trail looks like. I don't know that I'd be pleased dealing with braggarts claiming that their style of hiking was better than mine. I certainly would not be allowing someone like Kirsten Schaal infiltrate on my vacation for more than 5 minutes. I could have done without big bad Bertha who asks Nolte to help her untangle her parties that super glue couldn't repair. I could have done with more of the still beautiful Mary Steenburgen, wasted in a five minute space. Thompson, too, underused and obviously not believable as the aged Redford's mate.This is supposedly based upon a true story of younger characters, and after getting used to Redford's flabby face skin and Nolte's whiskey soaked voice, I still had the issue of them being just far too miscast. What is on screen are not the lovers of two of Barbra Streisand's greatest romantic films but what remains of them, two leading men far past their prime and trying to be Adam Sandler and Jim Carrey even past their prime. It is not a dignified look at the desire to stay young, with them pretty much acting like fools, especially when Redford repeats a similar scene from one of his first hits that doesn't hwbr the impact more than 40 years later.