Originally published by Sierra Club Books in 1983, The River Why by David James Duncan is a thoughtful convergence of fishing, nature, and philosophy. As successful as the novel was, bringing it to the big screen proved difficult. The film rights became the subject of a lawsuit filed by Duncan which alleged copyright infringement, among other issues. After three years, the suit was settled, but Duncan and The Sierra Club had their names removed from the movie. The credits say simply, “based on the novel of the same name.”
Gus Orviston (Zach Gilford) is passionate about fishing. A recent high school graduate, Gus feels relegated to the background by his father (William Hurt), a popular fly-fishing expert and novelist. He’s also living with the stress of his parents constant bickering between his parents. When they argue, he says, “it’s not who’s getting the last word, but who’s getting the next word. One day, he decides he’s had enough and leaves to live in his own place by the river, so he can do what he loves: fish.
One day, he catches the body of a drowned fisherman and begins to think about the frailty of life. Living out of a small cabin in the Oregon woods, Gus gets by selling or trading fishing flies and smoked water vertebrate to the locals. Gus runs into Eddie (Amber Heard) a young woman who shares his passion for fishing, a young woman he first met at one of his father’s conventions. Despite their similar interests, Gus finds it very hard to talk to her. Seeking some advice, he turns to a local philosopher named Titus (Dallas Roberts) who has a German shepherd named Descartes that likes to sit and sway in a rocking chair.
A pipe smoking fly-fisherman, Titus uses conversations with both Descartes and Gus to discuss the films themes. Water serves as a metaphor here, no matter the subject. Before I watched The River Why, I had no idea there were so many parallels between women and fishing. This is the sort of movie that’s very impressed with its painfully obvious metaphors.
If you’re interested in a movie that involves fishing, I recommend checking out A River Runs Through It. The River Why doesn’t have a heck of a lot to offer. Much of the story is given to us through a dry, expository voiceover. The voiceover can be a valuable narrative tool—directors such as Martin Scorsese and Terence Malick have used it to great advantage—but here, the screenwriters (Thomas A. Cohen and John Jay Osborn, Jr.) have used it as a device to try and piece together a script that has some gaping holes.
Presented in the 2.40:1 aspect ratio, this 1080p transfer is a pretty good one. Colors are bright and vibrant, showcasing natural fleshtones. Black levels and contrast are solid throughout. The image, while not reference quality, avoids too many instances of softness. While I noticed a couple instances of shadowing, this is a fine transfer for a low budget film.
The audio is presented in a DTS-HD MA lossless 5.1 mix. Dialogue is handled quite well, with the exception of a few scenes where it was a bit quiet. The rears don’t get into the action much, but the front heavy portion of the the soundstage does a fine job.
English and Spanish subtitles are available.
Special features are limited to a theatrical trailer and interviews with cast and crew that run about 34 minutes.
