There is nothing to describe the feeling when a book you really enjoy is being made into a movie by someone you can’t stand. It’s like all of those psychotic Jane Austen fan-chicks (no guys are into Jane) finding out Jessica Simpson was going to play Emma in a new movie. That’s sorta how I felt when I heard that an adaptation of a A Walk in the Woods was going to star Robert Redford.
HR reports that Barry Levinson is in talks to direct the movie version of Billy Bryson’s best-selling travelogue about his attempt to hike the Appalachian Trail. Levinson would be fine, but the through of Redford playing Bryson is, frankly, depressing. Redford is also planning to produce the movie, which means rather than focusing on the humor of Bryson’s attempt it will likely emphasize the finger-wagging environmentalism that I typically skip when re-reading the book.
It’s not certain that Redford will make A Walk in the Woods as his next film. He’s also planning a movie about Jackie Robinson with Thomas Carter directing and him playing Satchel Page (actually Branch Rickey.) I hope that one moves forward and Redford isn’t allowed to get his hands on A Walk in the Woods.
