My wife and I watched the movie Free Solo on Saturday night. I have found myself thinking about the movie a lot ever since. It was highly entertaining – the main character, Alex Hannold, is charismatic, likable, fun to root for, etc., and (spoiler) he ultimately accomplishes his seemingly impossible goal of free climbing El Capitan.
But the movie itself – and Hannold in particular – left me feeling really confused. Something bothered me about the whole thing. Something that I still haven’t been able to quite work out in my mind – like a difficult math problem that I’m not quite smart enough to solve.
I don’t know what the moral of the story is. Is there a larger life lesson in Hannold”s quest to succeed or die? Is he “selling out” by having a camera crew with him? Surely the movie will inspire copycats who will certainly die. What about the insouciance Hannold displays towards his girlfriend? Honest? (And therefore admirable?) Or just immature and self-absorbed?
I don’t know if the free climbing that Hannold does in Free Solo is beautiful athletic expression, high performance art, or just very dumb. Maybe all three at once.
Reed Writes 
My teaching partner told me about this documentary just today and he also came away with an uncomfortable feeling about the movie and the character on which he couldn’t put his finger. I am curious now to watch it too!
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I truly love visiting your blog… I always learn something new about you. We have to talk about that movie. I saw it during the VA Film Festival (it showed at STAB actually) and again on PBS a week or so ago… lots to process for sure… I love how all of your slices reveal what a thinker you are.
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