EBS STAFF
In an anticipated new feature film by Missoula brothers Alex Smith and Andrew J. Smith, an estranged father and son are forced to rely on one another to survive in an unforgiving wilderness after a series of extreme events turns a hunting trip meant to be a bonding experience into a matter of life and death.
“Walking Out” makes its first stop on the five-day Roadshow Tour—an extension of Missoula’s Montana Film Festival—at The Ellen Theatre on Sunday, Oct. 15, at 2 and 6:30 p.m. Presented by the Bozeman Film Society, the screening will be followed by guest appearances from the cast and crew and a reception. “Walking Out” will make tour stops in Livingston, Helena and Deer Lodge before closing the tour in Missoula.
Based on 1980 short story written by award-winning writer David Quammen, “Walking Out” tells the story of 14-year-old David, played by Josh Wiggins, who travels once a year from his mother’s home in Texas to visit his reclusive father Cal, performed by Matt Bomer, in the remote mountains of Montana. There, the two embark on their annual hunting excursion, during which the taciturn Cal attempts to connect with his smartphone-addicted son. But when a terrifying turn of events leaves Cal critically wounded, it’s up to the teenager to summon enough strength for both of them.
Infused with a deep reverence for the rugged beauty and harsh realities of the Montana landscape, deftly captured by cinematographer Todd McMullen, “Walking Out” is both a tense survival saga and a moving father-son tale. The film also features Bill Pullman, Lily Gladstone, Alex Neuestadter, Scott McMillion and Bart the Bear.
Not rated, the film runs 96 minutes. Tickets are available at bozemanfilmsociety.org, theellentheatre.com, or by calling (406) 585-5885.
