Sean Penn's latest directorial effort, based on the Jon Krakauer book,proved a very pleasant suprise. At over 2 and 1/2 hours running time, this film showed every sign of being a preachy, tedious snorefest. Penn who previously helmed Indian Runner, The Crossing Gaurd and The Pledge with mixed results has gone back behind the cameras after a 6 year break and has produced a gem. Penn uses an eclectic cast including Emile Hirsch, William Hurt, Hal Holbrook(rec oscar nomination for this role), Vince Vaughn and Catherine Keener(40 year old Virgin) who gives a great turn as "Love Child" who finds it difficult to be loved.
Hirsch plays, Chris Childress, a recent ivy league graduate who decided to embark on an adventure as a leather tramp, abandoning his car and money to see the country on foot. Along the way he meets unhappy hippies, a felon farmer and a retired and widowed army vet forging deep friendship even as he gradually removes himself from the crush of humanity. Penn weaves(hammers home actually) a theme about family and forgiveness into the mix. This distracts a bit for what is otherwise a deft and light-handed presentation. Hirsch manages to make his potrayal both sufficiently brooding and emotional to understand Childress's gradual retreat from society but engaging and likeable enough for us to care.

As Childress treks across the US and eventually to Alaska, introducing the audience to the films other star, the boundless beauty of the American wilds.