REVIEW: Viewing “A Walk in the Woods” far from a walk in the park

“A Walk in the Woods” is a perfectly fine movie spoiled by its grumpy, acerbic mood. Even if the book it is based on is as cantankerous, one would think that Robert Redford’s pet project about two geriatrics hiking the Appalachian Trail would be tender and artful. It is not.

Based on Bill Bryson’s nonfiction novel of the same name, the film follows Bryson (Redford) as he becomes intrigued by the section of the Appalachian Trail behind his house and decides to hike it, bringing along estranged friend and recovering alcoholic Stephen Katz (Nick Nolte).

The two play a delightfully charming odd couple. Nolte’s Katz is a raspy, bumbling lurch of a man whose aimless existence is a perfect foil for Bryson’s academic and literary success — a fact that Katz points out while Bryson describes the difference between igneous and sedimentary rock: “I’m a big picture guy, Bryson. They’re all just f—ing rocks.” Nolte is the highlight of the film, proving his skill for physical comedy in every shot as Redford responds with straight-faced composure and derision.

The revival of Katz and Bryson’s bromance is endearing, but their interactions with others sour the mood. The script is impressively mean-spirited — in one example, two virile young hikers offer to help the older pair ford a river. The latter pair stubbornly refuses, as Bryson grumbles, “Nice guys. I hate ‘em.” Their characters constantly remind the audience of Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon in “Grumpy Old Men.”

The misfit dynamic between Katz and Bryson is reminiscent of characters in the television series “The Office,” which director Ken Kwapis directed for some of its greatest episodes. Unlike the show, however, “A Walk in the Woods” wastes most of its promising cast. “Parks and Recreation” actor Nick Offerman gets a predictable cameo as a salesman at REI, but all of the jokes in the scene come from Redford. Mary Steenburgen shines as a motel owner who flirts with the married Bryson, but their sexual tension doesn’t resolve and is never addressed. Comedian Kristen Schaal plays an annoying and oblivious tag-along — a trope she is beginning to be typecast in — whose inclusion is so unnecessary and jarring that I’m willing to excuse Katz’s equally jolting suggestion that they should just kill her. I breathed a sigh of relief when she disappeared from the movie, but in retrospect, the kind earnestness of Schaal could have helped make the film less cranky had the director included the character in the right way.

The wasted ensemble is disappointing, but the film’s real failure is its tone. The original book is a travelogue that swings between comedic episodes and explorations of the history and ecology of Appalachia. The film plays out like a Lifetime movie for pissy people.

“A Walk in the Woods” could have been a classic buddy flick — a calmer, more brooding “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.” Instead, the script leans towards a message or lesson that ultimately isn’t clear. The last five minutes of the film cover a begrudging hiking accomplishment, adoration for nature, rekindling friendship and literary inspiration, but none of these themes shine through as touching or interesting.

It is a shame that the film is so spectacularly mediocre, because it is wonderfully refreshing to see Redford and Nolte stretch their flawless comedy chops. Their performances make “A Walk in the Woods” occasionally brilliant, but ultimately the film is as forgettable as the original book is unknown.