Gerry (film)
Encyclopedia
Gerry is a 2002 film directed by Gus Van Sant
, starring Matt Damon
and Casey Affleck
, who also co-wrote the film with Van Sant. It is the first film of Van Sant's "Death Trilogy", three films based on deaths that occurred in real life, and is succeeded by Elephant and Last Days
.
companions who both go by the name "Gerry." "Gerry" is also a slang term used throughout the misadventure by both protagonists, meaning "to screw up." Van Sant revealed in interviews that Damon and Ben
and Casey Affleck already had used the term before the movie had been named.
The plot of the film shares some commonalities with the events surrounding the death of David Coughlin, who was killed by his friend after the two became lost in Rattlesnake Canyon
in New Mexico
.
Over the next couple of days, the two hikers wander through the wilderness without food or water. They try splitting up for awhile, they try to retrace their steps, they try to follow some animal tracks, all to no avail. They grow increasingly irritated with each other as the situation becomes dire.
They eventually find themselves slowly walking, mostly in silence, through a desert
. They finally collapse due to fatigue and dehydration
. The weaker of the two (Affleck) proclaims that he is "leaving," and reaches towards Damon's character. Damon's character rolls on top of Affleck and wordlessly strangles him before collapsing again.
After some time, Damon's character awakens and discovers that a highway
is not far away. In the final shot, he is traveling by car with a family, whom he watches in stunned silence.
, Death Valley
, and the Utah Salt Flats, and is dedicated to the memory of Ken Kesey
.
Gus Van Sant
Gus Green Van Sant, Jr. is an American director, screenwriter, painter, photographer, musician, and author. He is a two time nominee of the Academy Award for Best Director for his 1997 film Good Will Hunting and his 2008 film Milk, both of which were also nominated for Best Picture, and won the...
, starring Matt Damon
Matt Damon
Matthew Paige "Matt" Damon is an American actor, screenwriter, and philanthropist whose career was launched following the success of the film Good Will Hunting , from a screenplay he co-wrote with friend Ben Affleck...
and Casey Affleck
Casey Affleck
Caleb Casey McGuire Affleck-Boldt , better known as Casey Affleck, is an American actor and film director. Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, he played supporting roles in mainstream hits like Good Will Hunting and Ocean's Eleven as well as in critically acclaimed independent films such as...
, who also co-wrote the film with Van Sant. It is the first film of Van Sant's "Death Trilogy", three films based on deaths that occurred in real life, and is succeeded by Elephant and Last Days
Last Days (film)
Last Days is a 2005 American film directed, produced, and written by Gus Van Sant, and is a fictionalized account of the last days of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain. It was released to theaters in the United States on July 22, 2005, and was produced by HBO. The film stars Michael Pitt as the...
.
Overview
Gerry is about two hikingHiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
companions who both go by the name "Gerry." "Gerry" is also a slang term used throughout the misadventure by both protagonists, meaning "to screw up." Van Sant revealed in interviews that Damon and Ben
Ben Affleck
Benjamin Géza Affleck-Boldt , better known as Ben Affleck, is an American actor, film director, writer, and producer. He became known with his performances in Kevin Smith's films such as Mallrats and Chasing Amy...
and Casey Affleck already had used the term before the movie had been named.
The plot of the film shares some commonalities with the events surrounding the death of David Coughlin, who was killed by his friend after the two became lost in Rattlesnake Canyon
Rattlesnake Canyon
Rattlesnake Canyon is the name of a number of scenic canyons in the Southwestern United States:*Rattlesnake Canyon , a slot canyon near Antelope Canyon*Rattlesnake Canyon , lies within Skofield Park, in Santa Barbara, California...
in New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
.
Plot
The characters drive to a remote location to hike at a site marked "Wilderness Trail". As they start, they see some other hikers passing by. After some walking, talking, and an impromptu foot race, they decide to head back. Before long, they realize that they are lost. That night, they build a campfire.Over the next couple of days, the two hikers wander through the wilderness without food or water. They try splitting up for awhile, they try to retrace their steps, they try to follow some animal tracks, all to no avail. They grow increasingly irritated with each other as the situation becomes dire.
They eventually find themselves slowly walking, mostly in silence, through a desert
Desert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
. They finally collapse due to fatigue and dehydration
Dehydration
In physiology and medicine, dehydration is defined as the excessive loss of body fluid. It is literally the removal of water from an object; however, in physiological terms, it entails a deficiency of fluid within an organism...
. The weaker of the two (Affleck) proclaims that he is "leaving," and reaches towards Damon's character. Damon's character rolls on top of Affleck and wordlessly strangles him before collapsing again.
After some time, Damon's character awakens and discovers that a highway
Highway
A highway is any public road. In American English, the term is common and almost always designates major roads. In British English, the term designates any road open to the public. Any interconnected set of highways can be variously referred to as a "highway system", a "highway network", or a...
is not far away. In the final shot, he is traveling by car with a family, whom he watches in stunned silence.
Production
It was shot in a semi-improvised style with a small crew in ArgentinaArgentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, Death Valley
Death Valley
Death Valley is a desert valley located in Eastern California. Situated within the Mojave Desert, it features the lowest, driest, and hottest locations in North America. Badwater, a basin located in Death Valley, is the specific location of the lowest elevation in North America at 282 feet below...
, and the Utah Salt Flats, and is dedicated to the memory of Ken Kesey
Ken Kesey
Kenneth Elton "Ken" Kesey was an American author, best known for his novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest , and as a counter-cultural figure who considered himself a link between the Beat Generation of the 1950s and the hippies of the 1960s. "I was too young to be a beatnik, and too old to be a...
.