It sounded like you were insulting me. Can you blame Britney fans for being overly sensitive?

Wow, great responses

I saw this movie at the theater and have watched it 3 more times since it came out on dvd. I bought the book and have the soundtrack. Needless to say it struck a nerve with me and I couldn't get enough. I've watch the interview on youtube with Sean Penn an Eddie Vedder and I think Penn did a great job with this and really gave you some insight and depth into this kid - whether you agree with his actions or not.

I found the book interesting in the way that he gave examples of others who had done the same thing. Most had the same ending as this story but they all shared the common theme of "leaving the grid". I see some Matrix in this story as well.

Personally, the hippie-esque freedom that he exhibited was inspiring. It's every mans dream to be free of the grind and the expectations of life. The fact that he was intelligent but naive really was why he died. A little more life experience may have him living in Alaska for the next 20 years without actually being a part of society.

Great movie that moved me like no other movie I've seen in the last 10 years.
[Edited 11/18/08 9:34am]

purplesweat said:

You must admit that it is ironical that you stick up for Britney's fans and their sensitivity and yet you fail to see the emotions of Christopher McCandles/Alexander Supertramp (whether you can identify yourself with them or not) in this movie/story and then proceed into calling him dumb and saying you hate dumb people.....


[Edited 11/18/08 14:54pm]

abierman said:

Emotions? The boy left every single person that could've given him the life he was looking for. How he managed to keep abandoning people like that is beyond me and for what? What was gonna happen if he did survive? He'd come back and say "I lived in a bus" then what? What the hell was he trying to prove?

union119 said:

As for the sensitive comment, it's true. You mention the words "fan" and "britney" near anyone and they instantly get that leave britney alone kid in their heads.

In fact, most visible internet fans of hers are fucking embarassing morons looking for their 15 minutes. You'd be pleasantly surprised if you met the fans I know.

I read the book, didn't see the movie. I had mixed emotions. I felt for him and could relate to some of his ideas, but at the same time he was kind of an idiot.

Like many kids his age, his idealism was admirable, but his practicality left a lot to be desired. And the proof is in the fact that he went to a harsh wilderness completely unprepared.

He wasn't trained in survival skills, and that's what it took for humans to survive there. They couldn't do it "naturally!!" Warm climates are where humans evolved!

so like I said, mixed feelings.

purplesweat said:

Surely the boy was estranged from his surroundings.....that's emotion too.....

abierman said:

He had no real reason to feel the way he did about his life. He had security, luxury and a sister he got along fine with. Sure, he had stereotypically "rich" and "uncaring" parents but maybe if he'd gotten to know them better, he'd see the side of them that loved him. You remember at the end of the movie, the dad running onto the street. Heartbreaking. And for what? A spoiled brat who let his ego kill him.

purplesweat said:

But what if all the things you mention were the things that also broke him down because they conflicted with his ideals?? And what about the big 'secret' that presumably had happened in the family?? Sure,the kid was very unstable but I think you're wrong when you write him off as just a spoiled brat....I think you've missed the point.

NDRU said:

i'm sure if he had a better plan and survival skills, he could have made it though.

and not cut himself off completely from all human contact.

(haven't seen the movie so i don't have all the facts about his experience, saw a snippet on Oprah though.)

People should remember that Alex was ready to come back to civilization and society once he felt he succeeded in the wild which he did. At least that's what the movie implied. The only problem was that when he tried to leave, he couldn't.

sextonseven said:

I felt that watching interviews with Sean Penn that he viewed the guy as something of a hero.

Perhaps he tried to portray his journey as a triumph and that he accomplished what he set out to do. But I think that is unclear since nobody had contact with him in Alaska.

But if you read the note he left, it sounds very sad & desperate, like the man who's jumps off of a bridge and realizes he's just made a huge mistake. At least that's how I felt when I read it.