In this thrilling coming-of-age adventure, a troubled teen must face the dangers of the Alaskan wild, as well as her own past, in order to find her way home. Sent to stay with her uncle in Alaska while her mother is in treatment, 14-year-old Mackenzie (Ella Purnell) is forced to flee as her uncle's attention turns threatening. Unable to reach her mother and afraid that the authorities will return her to her uncle, she embarks on a journey across miles of wilderness to find a way back home to Seattle. As she plunges deeper into the Alaskan interior, a chance connection with gruff backpacker Bartlett (Bruce Greenwood) proves to be her only lifeline. Mackenzie shadows Bartlett across the rugged frontier, thwarting his efforts to cut her loose until he has no choice but to help her survive, and against the backdrop of a spectacular landscape, they discover the redemptive power of friendship.
From Wildlike Website.
Click through for our Austin Film Festival interview with Bruce Greenwood and Ella Purnell.
Writer/Director Frank Hall Green's film Wildlike pushes the boundaries by showcasing the raw beauty of Alaska and by inviting us into an extremely subtle emotional plot. Ella Purnell showcases an amazing stillness as she battles through the terrible horrors that her character fights through in the film. Wildlike starts out as tale of a young girl escaping the sexual abuse of her uncle (Brian Geraghty spooky good performance), but truly finds it's heart the moment we're introduced to Bruce Greenwood's character Rene Bartlett. His tough journey hides his own demons of lost love and allows for a poignant relationship to burden between Ella's Mackenzie and Rene. Two lonely quiet souls traversing the beautiful landscape of Alaska and learning to find hope and truth amongst the quietness. I was thoroughly moved when watching the film at last year's Austin Film Festival. The mixture of the harsh conditions of the wilderness and the realities of their hard lives fit perfectly. The metaphors didn't come across as cliche or predictable, but rather seemed honest and real. Mackenzie's quiet fear and Rene's sorrowful determination allowed for moments of struggle while still clinging on to each other. Two wonderful performances that are masterfully shot amongst the amazing beauty of their massive surroundings.
Bruce and Ella were awesome enough to sit down with me at AFF 2014. Enjoy Bruce giving me a wet willy, Ella poking fun at everything, and the fun stories of battling real life Brown Bears! Easily one of my favorite interviews!!
The film has a special one night only screening at the Texas Theatre this Friday at 5pm. Do not miss out on this film. For more information about that screening please go, here.
For more information about the film please go, here.
“Some people feel like they don't deserve love. They walk away quietly into empty spaces, trying to close the gaps of the past.”
― Jon Krakauer, Into The Wild
