Synopsis
Get lost. Find yourself.
A shy butterfly expert embarks on a dangerous, life-changing trek through one of America’s greatest unprotected wildlands at the urging of his dying wife.
2020 Directed by Tom Putnam
A shy butterfly expert embarks on a dangerous, life-changing trek through one of America’s greatest unprotected wildlands at the urging of his dying wife.
David Cross Debra Messing Cameron Esposito Gary Farmer Patterson Hood David Koechner Kimberly Guerrero Ayanna Berkshire Olivia Ritchie Tony Doupe Peyton Dilweg Shelly Lipkin Ryan Findley Mike Harris Dyami Thomas Brian Adrian Koch Patterson Hood Christian Wilson Gracie Cook J.R. Berard Cecelia Frye Harvest Moon Dottie Hayden
A decent enough journey, but it didn't feel deeply impactful in any way when it was over. I enjoyed seeing David Cross in a role like this and there was an emotional backbone to the film, but it really didn't blow me away. An okay movie with some beautiful shots of nature thrown in for good measure.
Effortlessly aesthethic and funny. Enjoyable. Melihat beliau release, saya juga sedikit release stressnya. I didn't expect this but I do really looove the movie! Mungkin karena juga saya yang suka liat yang hijau-hijau, bunga, dan pohon dan langit dan segala alam liar yang sangat cantik. Filmnya menyuguhi arahan dan pemandangan yang super cantik, scoring dan lagu yang somehow enak dan mendukung.
Dari kisah nyata. Bercerita tentang Robert Pyle dan petualangannya yang cukup nekat menjelajahi sebuah hutan liar dalam rangka merelease rasa kehilangannya pasca isterinya meninggal karena kanker.
Endless crane shots of the wilderness? Check. Endless acoustic folk soundtrack? Check. Endless shots of David Cross' hairy asscheeks? Check.
Some good moments, lots of (expectedly) beautiful imagery, but this is Generic Indie filmmaking TO. THE. MAX.
That said, the opening gas station scene has patrons buying a box of Ranier and a bag of Juanita's, and a clerk with an ICP tattoo. Sometimes, I enjoy being pandered to.
Were you aware the guy who directed this made his debut with the reviled Paris Hilton vehicle The Hottie and the Nottie... but then later made the critically acclaimed documentary that inspired Welcome to Marwen? #ThisIsWhyILoveMovies
This film is the first one I've seen in a theater since everything shut down. It's about a bold dreamer risking his life on a dangerous journey. I'm not making any comparisons to the chance I took by seeing it, but...
"I don't know what happens next, but I'll be ready." ~ Robert M. Pyle
Writer-director Tom Putnam adapted this film from the 1995 book "Where Bigfoot Walks: Crossing the Dark Divide" by noted Lepidopterist Robert M. Pyle. The story opens with Pyle (David Cross) en route to the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, a wilderness area in Cowlitz County, Washington, where he hopes to chronicle new species of butterflies and moths under the auspices of a Guggenheim fellowship worth $11,000. (FWIW... I was born in Cowlitz County. Ha!)
Because Pyle teaches for a living, he schedules his expedition for summer break, when the Lepidoptera are hatching. It also happens to be the season when hungry bears are awakening from hibernation. And…
Wouldn't be surprised if one gets an uncontrollable urge to go on a hike after seeing this. There are countless stunning shots of Gifford Pinchot National Forest and the cinematography enhances their aesthetic. Fallen wood that traverses streams, lush ferns that carpet the forest floor, and Mt. Adams in the backdrop of a grassland meadow as David Cross' character traverses the landscape to find closure in a chapter of his life certainly creates an engaging mood even though it's light on the plotting.
The Dark Divide, es el viaje espiritual que el protagonista realiza para reconectar con el gran amor que le queda, la naturaleza y su fascinación por las mariposas.
Esta travesía resulta encantadora por varias cosas, partiendo por la majestuosidad de sus paisajes, la entrega del protagonista al aventurarse en una hazaña llena de riesgos, el jugueteo con la figura del legendario pie grande y el cómo trata los recuerdos de la difunta y amada esposa, los cuales, ayudan a entender un poco más al personaje.
También, me gustaría destacar cómo el director consigue retratar la inmensidad de la naturaleza y lo imponente que es, haciendo ver a los humanos como seres insignificantes.
Me gustó mucho el recorrido que hace The Dark Divide, pero no mucho su destino.
Creo que es la única película donde me ha gustado lo que hace David Cross, algo no menor.
It’s like Wild for hippies. Let’s hope it doesn’t also inspire other hopefuls to repeat the journey because frankly this dude was very lucky he didn’t die.
I did enjoy the music though.
Watched this after hearing David Cross discuss this on Bullseye. As a backpacker living in the Pacific Northwest, it seemed right up my alley. And it mostly is. Honestly, I spend a lot more time thinking about gear, food and water, and this movie did NOT deliver on any of that. Did he have 30 days worth of food, or did he restock in nearby towns? They had bigger backpacks back then, and people carried more, but they never addressed the food situation.
There are some really pretty shots, but, honestly, not enough, since I know what that area looks like. It’s certainly pretty, but it’s mostly just a bunch of woods and some weird CGI animals. Maybe they’re not…
I'm a fan of David Cross. He gives a very David Crosas performance. This movie feels a little like a comedic version of Wild, te Reese Witherspoon movie. Cross hiking, camping and interacting with the people he meets along the way is entertaining. I feel like all the other parts don't work as well as they should. There isn't as much weight or emotion a there should be. Maybe the budget played a factor with that. But if you're a fan of David Cross you should enjoy this one.
I checked to see what else director Rom Putnam had made. The Hottie & the Nottie with Paris Hilton and Christine Lahti. It had the lowest MetaCritic score I’ve ever seen-7, with a contributor rating of 1.9, also an all time low.
I probably wouldn’t have gone to this had I known. It’s a good reminder that all sign posts are reliable.
Also, working against it was David Cross. I love David but the description indicated this was a biopic about Robert Pyle, a butterfly expert. David is a comedian ro my experience. Watching him trek alone on a 124 mile hike through forest struck me as an absurd idea—a mismatch.
Wrong. First, his comedic abilities really enhanced the story and,…
In a film co-produced by REI, I guess I'd have thought there would be more of a focus on gear (and food!); in Cheryl Strayed's book 'Wild,' and later film, much is made of REI sending her a new pair of boots, and her constant struggle to lighten her load and maximize what is on her back, really one of the main concerns of a long-distance hiker. This story shares a lot with Wild, actually; both true stories center on people who look towards the wilderness and endurance therein as a way of exorcising demons of their old lives. Here, David Cross plays lepidopterist Robert Pyle who goes into Washington’s Gifford Pinchot National Forest after being awarded a Guggenheim to…
First movie I've ever seen about the wilderness area I grew up exploring every summer.
Decent melodrama about a man who treks across a large Forrest while mourning the death of his wife. A well shot but ultimately boring film that is unable to be saved by David Cross’ emotional performance.
At times very depressing, the scenes with his wife are haunting for anyone who has ever experienced anything similar. At times bordering on the point of absurdity, wandering around in his underwear in a cave, certain he’s heard Bigfoot. An emotional roller coaster, sometimes a little too much so. But it delivers on what it’s offering at the outset, and that is good enough. Also, this is probably the perfect role for David Cross, worth 0.5-1 stars on his own.
I'm always ready to check out any David Cross vehicle, but this one feels like it misses the mark. Leaves you wondering why David signed on for this, is he a big fan of lepidoptery? Did he follow Robert Michel Pyle's career? Or is he just a big fan of national parks and REI? My guess is it's that last one.
The film is a pretty easy watch as it just kind of flows along, but nothing really stands out too much. Kind of cool to learn about Robert Pyle and find out the film is somewhat based on his life. Might be worth it on a rainy Sunday afternoon.
Been a fan of David Cross' career my whole life. Not including the roles he clearly did for a paycheck, I think he's genuinely one of the most creative and funny people of our generation. With that being said, I actually never thought I would ever see him in a role like this, and wow it's a good payoff. Such a fun, moving story. Beautifully shot and a great soundtrack.
Points for the genuinely creepy scene near the end. It was a solid left turn that made me anxious. And points for making me wanna go on more hikes.
Amusing; beautiful; flat; meandering; overscored; pedestrian; scenic; slow; uneven; unsubtle; wooden.
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