thisanant A great actor , when given a stereotypical role ( Winter Soldier ) does a mediocre job but with a fine story like this shines bright . after watching this hilariously funny movie , I now salute ROBERT REDFORD's comedic abilities .

HotToastyRag Retired travel writer Robert Redford is bored. He has a beautiful house, a loving wife, Emma Thompson, and semi-affectionate grandchildren, but he's bored. His idea? Getting together with a buddy and hiking the Appalachian trail, or as he phrases it when he calls all his friends, "going for a walk in the woods." Hence the title.The only snag in his plan? None of his friends want to join him—except Nick Nolte, whom he hasn't seen in decades. They don't see eye to eye on much, but they're stuck together during this hilarious and sweet movie about finding happiness. When you're not laughing yourself silly from every line Nick Nolte delivers, you'll be able to appreciate the beautiful nature that surrounds them, and it's always great to see Robert Redford in a setting he loves so passionately. He gives a little speech about how important it is to appreciate and protect nature, and the movie wouldn't feel complete without it.I absolutely love this movie, and I can't think of anyone I wouldn't recommend it to. There isn't anyone in the world who hates Robert Redford, and there's nothing offensive in the script. It's funny, clever, thoughtful, touching, and wise.

Jim Mullen Tate (TheFearmakers) There's a classic (though probably unintentional) homage when Robert Redford, as a bored travelogue writer, and Nick Nolte, as his once-wild companion, are staring off the edge of an Appalachian Trail peak with nowhere to go but way, way down... Well the younger SUNDANCE could have survived but these guys are just too old to take risks... Though not entirely...The hike is quite a chore, especially so late in life, and the first twenty minutes doesn't really develop the characters but plays a sort of hesitation game while learning about other people that don't matter much (like Emma Thompson as a wife so open-minded she's just not interesting)... So once the journey finally gets underway, it's all about Redford's classy-wise Bill and Nolte's shaggy, weathered Stephan.Feeling catered to a mainstream audience and taking on a BUCKET LIST plot without Cancer, the movie itself hikes from here to there in a breezy, safe fashion. So when a load of misadventures happen (and keep happening) to the boys, from an annoying female camper to a jealous small town husband, the results feel contrived. But there is one particular scene (led by Nolte) where they not only genuinely bond with each other, the audience gets to see past the cliché "we're too old for this" template and the two veteran actors get to finally... act their talents.

Hick_N_Hixville Robert Redford cast himself as an 80 years old writer hiking the Appalachian Trail.That ought to be worth some laughs, and it is. I went into the movie not having read the source material, so unlike probably about 80 percent of the reviewers, I had no frame of reference for calling out its heresies. And who says movies have to be exact to their source material anyway? Kubrick's The Shining will always be better than Stephen King's own mediocre, but very faithful, miniseries version.The ages of the actors didn't bother me. It added to the humor. No, very few people Robert or Nick's age hike the AT, but a few do. Every year. If the movie had been about college age buddies hiking the AT in their stylishly correct trekking gear, it would have been boring. Nothing interesting in seeing that.So how could the movie have been better? Casting certainly. Who? Well, how about the middle aged gang from Sideways? Call it Walking Sideways in the Woods. Paul Giamatti as Bryson, and Thomas Haden Church as Katz. They are closer in age to the source material, and could have done more than believable justice to the roles. Cast Jessica Hetch (Victoria in Sideways) as Bryson's wife, and Sandra Oh as the annoying lady hiker.Who for the randy motel lady with a thing for Bryson? Virigina Madsen of course.What about Katz's laundromat wannabe lay? Cammi (Missy Doty) from the BBQ joint of course. And the same husband (M.C Gainey) as her monster truck driving husband here.Miles' mother (Marylouise Burke) could have run the hiker hostel, or been the waitress at the "Sorry We're Open" Choke and Puke.That probably would have been a better movie. Well I know it would have.But it's funny the way it is, just not as funny as it could be.