****/***** Life is makin' Macon Leary leery. After the death of his son, he continues to write travel guides for the weary traveler, advising them in such a way that it feels they've never left home while away. In other words, Macon likes his comfort zones, as he goes through his middle-aged lassitude (similiar to Bill Murray's characters in 'Lost in Translation' or 'Rushmore'). Hurt is exceptional here, subtly conveying with facial expressions and the like his inner turmoil. After this film, I had a new appreciation for him, as he proves himself a masterful actor here. As way leads to way, Geena Davis' eccentric dog trainer comes into the picture, and Macon finds himself landing in destinations he could've never predicted. The voice-over narration is great at communicating the metaphors of a man isolated, trying to control his environment and not always being as successful as he'd hoped. But that is at the heart of the film, that is, the fact that our best-laid plans seldom come to fruition.
But why leave home and go on adventures if you don't want to leave your own personal comfort zone? Some people sure are wacky.
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