Into the Wild

After graduating from Emory University in 1992, top student and athlete Christopher McCandless abandons his possessions, gives his entire $24,000 savings account to charity, and hitchhikes to Alaska to live in the wilderness.

Sean Penn's adaptation of Jon Krakauer's nonfiction account earned broad critical favor, with Emile Hirsch's performance and Penn's personal investment in the material drawing the most consistent praise. The film sits comfortably in the range of generally favorable notices rather than outright universal acclaim, suggesting some critics found limits to its reach even while admiring its ambition.