When I was 17, I attended a "free college" where students were permitted to determine their own courses for their degree programs.
In addition, the housing for the experimental school was set up in an ashram situation, so that the students were thrown together in a community-style setting so that aspects of the day-to-day routine could be incorporated into the learning experience.
For its day, the concept was novel and forward-thinking, and did much to formulate a number of my vital ideas about society and the human condition.
One day, a visitor to the College sat down next to me in the common room, and we engaged in a long-winded philosophical talk.
At the end of our conversation the gentleman (about fifteen years older than myself) took out a pen and paper, jotted down a few words, and then handed over the note.
As he strode off chuckling, I glanced down at his comments and was struck dumb.
After a bit of meaningless rambling he remarked in a somewhat angry tone:
"You are a product of the petite bourgeoisie, and until you rid yourself of the sins of your capitalistic parents, your soul will know no rest."
I was thunderstruck!
The words often return to haunt me; subsequently, to this day I often reflect on their meaning.
So - when the opening scenes of "In the wild" (Sean Penn directed) unfolded on the screen - the origins of the emotions of the Chris McCandless character were easy to fathom.
An innocent seeking the answers, he was obviously troubled by the emphasis his parents placed on "things" material, and the importance of outward appearances.
Without doubt, the young lad (fresh out of College) was also troubled by the lies and half-truths that his parents engaged in and the gut-wrenching surrealness of their daily existence.
It is evident from the get-go that Chris felt their value system was twisted; so, he hankered to wash his hands of it.
Understandably, he made a quick exit one day in search of the answers, to the puzzlement of his parents.
After an unexpected flash-flood shakes him up a little in the desert - he abandons his beat up car, burns his money - and strikes out into the wilderness.
He seeks a life without the ties that bind.
During a brief stint of hitch-hiking, the young adventurer encounters a handful of intriguing characters.
For example, on one comical occasion, he stumbles on a commune for hippies as he is humbly encamped next to a nudist-colony in the wilderness while working at a local grainery.
After making a pact to realize his dream of habitating in the wilds of Alaska, McCandless hastens to line up a job or two to earn some money, so that he can embark on his plans without delay.
Eventually, he takes his first unsteady steps into the great white North, then promptly sets up a respite in an abandoned bus near a lush riverbank.
Within a few short eventful weeks, it appears McCandless will grasp the golden ring he's been achingly grasping for.
For example, he sups on his own wild-life catch daily, ever-mindful of the delicate balance of nature and the need for harmony.
But - due to a lack of experience, stupidity, or an unfortunate miscalculation - our conquering hero gets trapped in the wilderness without warning.
Without ready food on hand, McCandless (this is a true story) tries to find sustenance in nature; however, after mistakenly gobbling down a handful of poisonous berries, his sad demise unfolds miserably before us.
There is nothing earth-shattering or innovative about this tale.
In fact, thousands of teens - boys and girls alike - slip away quietly (or run) from unhappy homes every year in America with the insatiable desire to find a better life, some answers about the meaning of it, or quite simply to get their bearings in the great scheme of things.
Emile Hirsch turns in a stunning winning performance for the full-length of this overly-long - at times - draggy film.
Yes, the up-and-coming actor manages to sustain our interest and hold his own, much to his credit.
The breathtaking cinematography and raw footage of the wild is worth the price of admission alone.
But some of the material is well-travelled, cliche - and frankly - dated.
Since Penn struggled for ten years to secure the rights to the story, it's easy to fathom why the tale fails to resonate profoundly; indeed, had it been produced a decade or so ago the impact would have been more resounding.
Penn's attempts at gimmicks and storytelling tools - with the specific aim of Hollywood-izing the film - are misguided, too; ultimately, the awkward efforts take away from the natural sweetness and simple truths that lie at the tender heart of it.
However - "In the Wild" - is enjoyable family entertainment; albeit, nothing particularly outstanding.
Some would label it middle-of-the-road - a popcorn film - at best.
