Philippe Petit (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is trying to find his way in the world in the new film The Walk.
Philippe is an artist and marches to the beat of his own drum. He is introduced to Papa Rudy (Ben Kingsley), who is a master high-wire artist. Under Papa Rudy’s tutelage, Philippe embarks on a journey that will build toward his ultimate goal: to walk the span between the World Trade Center towers being built in 1970s-era New York City.
His family has thrown him out on the street. His father doesn’t believe in Philippe’s dreams of becoming a high-wire artist. He’s on his own and must work hard to make his dream a reality. As he turns back to Papa Rudy, a man he once walked away from, he begs for another chance to learn how to do wire walking the right way. The training is hard, but he sticks with it and is evidently prepared to follow his dream.
Along the way he meets the lovely Annie (Charlotte Le Bon) on the streets of Paris. Annie is a singer and the first encounter between the two is tense as Philippe steals Annie’s crowd for his street performance. As the two grow to enjoy each other’s company, she becomes his first accomplice in carrying out the seemingly crazy task of walking on a wire above New York City.
More accomplices will be needed along the way to hang the wire, get folks in place and manage the situation. Can Philippe manage the crew and assemble enough individuals to make the walk a success?
And even if he does, is he truly crazy enough to walk across an expanse like this one with no safety net or harness?
Director Robert Zemeckis has given us a spectacle like nothing we’ve seen in 3-D before. Rarely has a film come along that I urge folks to see both on the biggest screen they can find and in 3-D, but The Walk is a special treat. Zemeckis uses the added dimension to create a tense, awe-inspiring sequence hundreds of feet above the ground. But it is not just the heart-pounding finale of the film that uses technology; Zemeckis gives much smaller scenes the best treatments as well. From under the big top to the Paris skyline and a simple street corner, he displays just how creative and stunning the experience can be.
The cast plays second fiddle to the visuals, yet the story is intriguing as we root for Gordon-Levitt’s Philippe to succeed at every turn, and we find ourselves enchanted by the confidence exuded by Le Bon’s Annie. Kingsley is perfect as the mentor Papa Rudy in the way he commands every situation.
A love story to film, a love story to the majestic Twin Towers, and a love story to the unique Philippe Petit, The Walk has everything one could want in a film of this magnitude. With a film like this, you’ll want to run to the theater to take this walk.
The Walk
Rated: PG
Stars: Joseph Gordon-Levitt,
Ben Kingsley, Charlotte Le Bon
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Grade: A