nancyblaine-46614 Review of Long Way Down

Long Way Down (2007)

Loved the scenery and travelogue as buddy adventure, disliked the third wheel

[8/10 · 3 July 2023]

I'm a woman and an adventurer on my own terms. I loved "Long Way Round"-read the book, even-but did not know this series existed until two days ago. As buddy film and travelogue, their format is accessible and fun. Incredibly beautiful people and places, as well as expressing that initial travel angst of "with impossible timetables, I cannot participate in the landscape!" When they can simply fall in love with a tree and some quiet, and a sunset they'll never forget: that's why we travel. I loved the behind-the-scenes with the whole team illustrating when there was a safety net, and when there was not. I was genuinely pissed off about Eve deciding at the last minute to disrespect their expertise and months of logistical work by imposing herself as a potential liability. There were so many ways she could have shared Ewan's experience without forcing herself onto a production and team dealing with very serious complexities, as if it was all a bicycle tour in Tuscany. I found it so selfish: whoever edited the whole thing together definitely agreed. I would have taken notes and organized a trip to see the best spots with him later. She added an unfortunate level of passive-aggressive melodrama into a tale of serendipity, adventure, generosity, danger, teamwork, etc. Now I'm watching "Long Way Up!" All so inspiring and beautiful.