The Wilderness (2025) Movie Script
1
- What the fuck?
Whoa.
- Don't do anything stupid.
Alright, Frank, find some pants.
Get dressed,
now!
Don't think, don't think about it.
- Fuck you. Get off me.
- Relax.
- Get off me.
- Relax, relax.
Come on, let's go.
Let's go.
Frank, watch your step.
Come on.
- Let go of me.
- Come on.
Don't let him, don't lose that arm.
- Stop, let go of me.
- All right.
Here we go.
Alright.
- Fucking bitch.
- Okay, that's enough.
- I'll never fucking forgive you.
- All right, all right, all right.
Come on.
Come on.
Put up against the thing here.
All right, hold on.
- Stop.
Got him, you got him?
- Yep, I got him.
- Relax, breathe.
Breathe.
Yeah, that's good.
All right?
- I got him, I got him.
- All right.
Hold on, hold on.
- All right, easy.
Oops.
- Yeah, it's pretty, huh?
- Hey boys.
- Oh, hey, hey.
It's a girl.
Look.
Ain't gonna be so bad.
- You must be Ed.
Huh?
How was he?
- Oh, he didn't say a damn word.
- I got him from my here.
All right.
- Thanks Phil.
- Yeah.
- Come on, this way.
Let your eyes adjust.
It is pretty here.
- It's called spindling.
It's how the natives
survived for centuries.
- Say hi to Rich.
- No need.
Just know you're gonna
have to do that every day
if you want to cook on the coals.
- They can't talk to you until
you're out of First Camp.
Let's get you set up.
Wait here.
Hey, James.
I got Ed here.
- One moment.
Come on in.
Come on.
How's it going, Ed?
- He's not talking.
- Mel, would you take Miles outside?
You do the intake.
Gotta make sure you didn't
bring anything harmful
out to the desert,
drugs mostly, but you'd be surprised
what people try and get out here.
Strip down, please.
We got all day.
Let's start you in First Camp.
It's the deprogram.
You'll learn how to
survive in the wilderness.
Oh, well, bend over.
You'll learn to make your own backpack
and fire-starting tools,
and then when ready,
you'll join the other boys.
Give me a cough.
One more.
You can't cook on the coals
until you yourself spark a flame.
That's how nature wants it.
I've seen kids better themselves,
but it has to come from them.
We'll get you started in First Camp
and then we'll begin your journey.
Welcome to the desert.
Wake up, buddy.
Come on, wake up.
Where did you, where did
you think you were going?
- Oof, that's quite a bite you got there.
Hmm.
We're lucky we found you.
It's easy to die out here.
There you go.
There you go.
- It looks like someone's gonna be
a bit of a challenge.
I'll run ahead and tell the others.
- All right.
Thanks.
After 10 years of therapeutic
work with troubled teens,
I started this wilderness therapy.
I learned very quickly
what does and doesn't work.
So let's start with what works.
Discipline,
trust, faith.
These are all pillars of a,
of a successful young man.
You know, people skate
by in life, never having
to look in the mirror.
But out here, there's no phones,
there's, there's no clocks.
Every, every meal is earned.
Every bed is made by the, by
the young man who makes it.
And everything happens as it will.
You know, it's interesting
in life we are in,
sometimes we go through
hills and and valleys
and we're never quite sure where we're at.
But a lot of the youth that
come to me are in a valley,
and their parents are,
are at the end of trying
to figure out how best to help them.
And that's where we come in.
My name is James Bigsby.
I'm the camp director, also a
published child psychologist,
and I'm here for your child
to help them find their
way through the wilderness.
Wouldn't stop, huh?
How you holding up?
No?
Stay silent as long as you want.
I'm in no hurry.
Mmm.
You got quite the track record.
Kicked out of high school repeatedly,
arrested for shoplifting.
Overdosed.
Almost died then.
Did you want that?
Mmm.
You want some aspirin?
You need to talk to me first.
- Please give it to me.
- He speaks.
- How long will I be here?
- You're here as long as I see fit.
Here's what I can tell you though.
I don't want you here any
longer than is necessary.
I want you to succeed,
become a man.
- I want my phone call.
- Nope.
No phones, no computers, no distractions.
Just you and nature.
Here.
Get going on this spindle.
- Did someone take my brown sugar?
- Yeah, blame the Black guy.
- Let us look in your bag.
- Why you always
taking his side?
You wanna take mine?
- Miles, Niko, relax.
- How am I getting in trouble
for getting my shit stolen?
- Oh, 'cause you know nothing
about stealing, right, Niko?
Huh?
- Whatever.
- Oh, fuck, fuck.
- Apologize.
- This might
be the best one yet, ladies.
Tonight I'll eat wild
salmon with Steve Irwin
somewhere in the rainforest.
- Wild salmon, that sounds gross.
- Well, after evading
the predator's grasp,
any protein tastes good.
- Well, I'm in Ko Chang.
I'm slurping down my mai tai,
while she's slurping-
- Hey!
- Enough!
- Yeah, of course.
Yeah.
Of course.
Yeah, so, okay.
Yeah, I just spoke with him earlier.
He's in, he's in good spirits.
No, no, he's, he's right on pace.
I don't want him here any longer than you.
It's all right.
No, it's all right.
He's in good hands.
- What are you doing?
Giving up already?
- Just taking a break.
- You're not using your legs at all.
It's just like dropping in the skate park.
- Dad, I'm just taking a break.
- All right, fine.
Take a break.
The left you caught
earlier, that was good.
Girls on the shoreline sure dug it.
Oh, but they're always
gotta pay attention to you,
some good looking and talented baby.
Anyway, it's good to see you, Mitch.
- Good to see you too.
- Yeah.
- Yeah, good to see you.
- Chasing everybody else, just chasing.
Yeah, I don't think
they're gonna tell you.
Yeah, so one of them.
- Fuck.
- You're from Delaware.
You're not a fucking rapper.
- Oh, you prefer country?
- Holy fuck, man.
Stop.
- He never fucking shuts up.
Other one's Niko.
He's like a prophet or some shit.
You're Ed, right?
- Thought you weren't
supposed to talk to me.
I'm Miles.
- How long have you been here?
Too long, if you wanna know.
- So we do this every day?
- It's all one day.
Days are weeks.
Weeks are days.
You got it?
Got it?
- Oh, it's gotta go,
it's gotta go, here, here.
Slam it, slam it, slam it, slam it.
There.
See?
All right.
I got, I got it, I got it.
Watch, I'll show you.
See, it's like that.
- What are you doing?
- Eat up.
I'm sure you're hungry.
You need a backpack.
Tomorrow's hike's gonna be worse.
- What the hell could be worse?
- Today's was easy.
Never have two easy ones in a row.
Then tomorrow, tend to be
working on the spindling shit
before trying to make a spark.
- I was gonna finish mine.
- It's easier with this.
- Did you make that?
- I'm resourceful.
- Why are you helping me?
- Someone's got to.
James helping you?
Goodnight.
- Nice pack.
Pretty good woodwork for a newbie,
Especially when still in First Camp.
- You got something to say, say it.
- Just play by the rules.
They catch you cheating,
we're all here longer.
Gonna be another beautiful day, ah.
- Hurry up first camper.
You don't wanna hike in the dark.
- I'm not hiking in the dark.
- Hey, hey, hey.
Here.
Have some of my water.
Rich.
We need some help.
Hey.
You all right?
- I'm gonna call James.
He can't be that far out.
- Let's get him to the shade.
- I can't do this again.
I almost lost you, Ed.
I can't keep doing this.
- Then stop.
That's better.
- Gonna be a tough road, Ed.
You have an illness.
- I need to go home.
- You're just where you need to be.
I know this ain't your work.
Just be careful who you
accept help from out here.
These kids all got their own motives.
We're dealing with troubled teens.
- Is that what I am?
- You?
No.
You just gotta spark a flame, man.
Get out of First Camp, join the boys,
start your journey.
- Fuck.
Hey, hey. I got it.
- Breathe, don't blow.
Breathe.
- Hey.
Hey, he just got fire.
Well, come on.
- Woo.
Love this shit.
- You know in Thailand,
you can live like a king
for just $5 a day.
Do you know how easy
it's to make $5 a day?
Ko Chang, bitch.
- The surf's supposed to be great too.
- You surf?
Well, can you teach me?
- Yeah, you wanna go tomorrow?
- Yeah. Fuck yeah, actually.
I want, I wanna open
up a bar on the beach.
I wanna sell mushroom tea
to all the white tourists.
Be fucking kingpin, man.
Now you could teach 'em how to surf.
Salt Lake City to Phoenix.
Phoenix to Bangkok.
Bangkok to Ko Chang.
$900, one way.
Never coming back.
- But you got $900?
- I got 1800, motherfucker.
Mm-hmm.
- Yeah,
Let me know.
- I fucking will.
- I miss you.
Oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
Oh.
Oh, I love you so much.
I love you so much.
- Good for you.
- It was called the
highlight reel, newbie.
You got one?
- All right, let's set up camp here.
- Done?
- What are you doing?
- That's how you can tell
when the sun's setting.
Each finger between the sun
and the ground is 15 minutes.
So sunset sets in 45.
- How long do you think
it'll take us to get over that mountain?
- A couple hours, full day.
- Not longer than that?
- It'll take us four.
Book it at 2:00 a.m.
We'll be on the other side by sunrise.
I'm just saying.
- What are you saying?
- There's a town on the other side.
- How would you know that?
- 'Cause I knew my parents
would send me back here.
So when I was at home, I
studied maps of the desert.
- You got outta here?
- Man, keep up.
You know what TBS is?
- No.
- Therapeutic Boarding
School for Troubled Teens.
They wanna keep us here till we're 18,
milk every penny from our parents.
- They can't do that?
- Hmm.
Yes, they can.
Wake up.
Look, we're not wort shit to them at home.
When I made it through the
wilderness the first time,
I stole a car from TBS and
booked it back to Chattanooga.
When I woke up, I was gooned, blindfolded,
and in the back of a Pontiac.
- Maybe 'cause you stole a car.
- Yeah, maybe.
- Next stop Thailand.
- Miles.
Therapy.
- Geez, that was a long one.
- Hey.
- James always has his favorites.
- Yeah, circle of life.
Used to be Andy, now it's Miles.
- Nice to hear someone lived.
- Miles swooped in to
fill that spot real quick.
- You sound jealous.
- Miles has his games.
I got mine.
- Oh, so you're intentionally
not the favorite.
- Your new bestie's just trying
to be the next one outta here.
Everything he does is to help himself.
- He isn't like that.
- We're all like that.
- Good job, Ed.
- With what?
- Oh, just dealing with the
bumps of this transition.
It's not easy.
- Yeah.
- Well you seem to be
gelling with the group.
You and Miles are close.
What's he say about me?
- He just wants to go home.
- You mean he wants the easy way out.
- Don't we all?
- Do you, or do
you really want to change?
- It's been a crazy couple
days since your uncle
got to town.
- Yeah, what'd he do?
- What didn't he do?
Car broke down again.
Of course he's got no cell phone.
I'm calling every hospital in
town trying to find his ass.
I'm gonna have him show
up at your grandma's door,
arm's full of groceries,
that smile of his.
Fucker.
Jesus Christ, Henry.
Of course he's got me
laughing within a minute.
I give him a ride down to the
police impound to get his car
and he somehow talks them
into giving him his car back
without charging him a dime.
Incredible.
Anyway, you
gotta help out your family.
Son, if there's one lesson
I can teach you, it's that.
Speaking of, I'm wondering
if maybe you could help
me out with something.
It's just been a rough
couple of days, you know,
and I just need a little
something, something
to take the edge off.
You know?
You got anything?
No problem.
I shouldn't have asked that.
Shouldn't have asked that.
I'm gonna take off.
I'll see you.
- No wait, Dad.
- I'm sorry, son.
- Hey, what you looking at?
- Nothing.
- Oh.
Well, fun's over boys.
It used to be 24/7
as we make our way down this canyon.
Oh.
So Levi, you're gonna be
gone before you know it.
I want you to think about
life outside this desert.
- I have.
Believe me, plenty.
- All right.
Well, let's hear it.
- Well, I'm gonna be on a houseboat
with my girl, just
floating through eternity.
- I mean, maybe a
bit more personal detail.
- She'll be about 5'2", 5'3',
buck 25.
- No, I...
Just think about who you
were before you got here.
Okay?
- Yes, sir.
- Think about that.
How are you, Miles?
- Yeah.
- Good?
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
Hmm.
I feel a sense of neglect from you.
Neglect for the program,
for these boys around you.
- What?
- Yeah.
You don't see it?
Did you not disregard the program
by finishing Ed's backpack for him?
- No, I didn't.
- The program's
the program, Miles.
It's that way for a reason.
I want you all to succeed.
Is that not clear?
That's the goal here.
That's the goal.
I'm placing you on therapeutic leave.
- What?
- It's like being a first camper,
only you can't communicate with anyone,
not even the counselors.
- Why?
- Because you're not buying in.
You're just skating on the surface.
You're not getting anything
outta this program, Miles,
not a thing.
- That's gotta be a joke.
- What's that?
- This is a joke.
- Oh, I don't joke.
That's you.
You're not taking this seriously, Miles.
I need you to trust me.
Let me help you, please.
Just let me help you.
What's that game called where you pretend
you're somewhere eating something else?
What is that?
Ed, do it for me.
Come on, Ed.
Gimme something to work with here.
Ed, over here.
You don't need to look at him.
Over here.
Where are you,
what are you eating,
and with who?
- I'm on the beach,
eating a sandwich with my friend Mike.
- There you go.
- Go back up.
- What?
We're leaving.
Just go.
- What, what do you mean, leaving?
- We're going.
- Go where?
- What don't you understand?
We'll never be close to that town.
We gotta leave now if we
wanna make it by morning.
- Wait, dude, dude,
wait, hold on, hold on.
You get out of isolation,
you get to go home.
- Home?
You think he's gonna send us home?
It doesn't matter what you do.
You can suck his fucking dick
and it wouldn't mean shit.
Look, I got two options.
I can either stay here
for two more years or I could leave now.
Thailand, huh?
Girls, liquor, surfing.
Money's in the fucking bank.
I'll be there in two days.
You coming or not?
- Holy shit.
You sure you know where you're going?
- Of course.
Keep my eyes on the prize, baby.
- What's this town called?
- Some Mormon death cult
hell-bearing, fear-mongering name.
I don't fucking know, man.
- Well, you don't
know what it's called.
- I'll know it when I see it.
All right?
Hey, maybe we can get some zazz off one
of those stuck up housewives.
- What?
- Come on, man.
Just have some fucking fun.
And fuck it.
You know, we can take a
car and book it to Provo.
- Is that what this is about?
You getting high?
- What?
No, look, soon we're gonna be in Thailand,
chilling oceanside, waves are crashing.
You're doing your little surfing lessons.
I got 12-year-old boys
working for 10 pesos a week.
Gonna be fucking kingpins, man.
You're just gonna have to trust me.
- I think we should go back.
- You fucking kidding me, man?
We finally made it outta there.
We're free.
- No, I know,
but if we go back now, they'll
never even know we left.
- There's never gonna be a perfect time.
- Miles, you need help.
- You sound like James.
- Yeah,
and you sound like a fucking addict.
- And what are you, huh?
You want to leave?
Be my guest.
- Miles, wait.
- Never fucking going back.
- It's raining!
Hey, it's raining.
we gotta set up the car.
Hurry up!
Hurry up!
Come on.
- What do we do?
- Here.
Ed, you go up to the creek.
Square knot!
- I don't what that is.
- Oh come on.
- What the hell?
Go get some big rocks.
- All right.
Ready, you got it?
Where's Miles?
come on, hurry up.
- Miles!
- Hurry up, Miles!
Come on, hurry up!
- So, no one knows where he went, huh?
Nothing under his tree.
Poof, he's just gone.
You know something.
- No.
- Yes you do.
He helped you out.
He said you owe him.
- No, I don't know where he is.
You think keeping your mouth
shut is gonna save him?
Hmm?
He's gonna die out there.
He's gonna die because you,
Where did he go?
- Over the mountain.
Thinks there's a town over there.
- Call the chopper.
Tell him to get over to the Red Peak.
- There's no reception.
- We have to go for him.
- Who?
- Us!
All of us.
- Into this storm?
It's too dangerous.
- For who?
Us or Miles?
- We don't have a car.
- Jesus.
We are going.
We are going now.
Get ready.
- Come on.
We gotta pack.
What did I tell you?
First chance Miles gets, he runs off
and fucks us in the process.
- He asked me to go with him.
I should be with him right now.
- Then we'd be looking
for two dead bodies.
- What did you just say?
- the truth.
- You're a fucking asshole.
- If you're so worried about him,
why'd you sit on this
information all that-
- Because he trusted me.
It's not my fault you
don't trust anybody here.
- And what did you
trusting Miles get him?
What are you trusting Miles get you?
Go straight in?
Hey, straight?
- Yeah, towards the mountain.
- Miles!
- Hey, Ed.
Hey, don't worry about Levi.
This is just hard for him.
He isn't in the right mind.
No, this is just exactly
what happened with Andy.
- Andy ran away?
- He tried.
Chopper could find him, neither did we.
- He really got out.
- If that means...
Maybe.
- Keep up back there.
- Miles!
- Miles!
- Miles!
- Miles!
- Miles!
- Okay, spread out.
- Yeah.
- Miles!
Miles!
- Miles.
- Miles!
- Miles!
- Miles!
- You're safe, Miles.
- Hey, fuck you.
- Don't you move.
- Hey, fuck you, both.
- Ed, go get the others.
Tell 'em to meet on the other side.
- Hey, don't fucking leave me here, Ed.
Swear to God.
If you-
- Ed, go!
- Ed!
- I'll, I'll, I'll be right back.
- No, I swear to God.
Ed!
Ed!
- What happened?
- He tried to run and he slipped.
- What did you do?
- He's here because of you, Ed.
Now help him get bandaged up.
- We have to take
him to the hospital.
- Boys, eat.
Come on.
We got a long road ahead of us.
Come on, make your meal.
- James, please.
- Can I just get a moment of peace?
We still don't have any reception.
We can't go over the mountain with him.
We have to go down into the valley.
- And what's there?
- Shelter.
- So there is a town?
- I didn't say that.
Yeah, hi.
It's, it's James.
James Bigsby.
Yeah.
We could use some medical assistance.
After you.
- You got
something to throw at him?
How you holding up?
- Can't sleep.
- These beds are rough, right?
- I didn't know about Andy.
I'm sorry for that
and for all this.
- I know how you feel
The guilt.
Letting someone down.
I know what you're going through.
- Have you seen Miles?
- Mind if I get one?
- No can do.
Why didn't you run?
- I don't know.
- I do love a good landscape.
- That's what you get.
- Miles.
Are you okay?
- Yeah, I'm great, man.
Just heaven.
Good food, cute girls,
nurse to wipe my ass.
You think I'm crazy, don't you?
- No.
You think I'm screwed up?
You must think I'm a fucking idiot.
- No, dude.
- How'd he get you to talk?
What did he promise you?
Huh?
He say you're gonna go
home, be with your mommy?
- No, he said you'd die.
- We're all gonna die, Ed.
It's the best part.
- I don't want you to die.
Miles's-
- It's cool, man.
Forget it.
- Miles.
- You want any of this?
- No.
- Hey.
What?
- He told me this would happen.
Must have been sitting right here.
First time he brought me to this beach.
They were doing a paddle
out that day as well
and he just pointed and said,
"One day when I'm gone,"
you'll do this for me.
A lot of people loved your dad, Ed.
You've got the best of him, you...
- What about the worst of him?
You gonna tell me I have that too.
Hey, Mom, it's me.
Yeah.
I just, I just borrowed the phone.
Oh, it's, it's fine.
Look, Mom, I just,
I just wanted to call
and say that I'm sorry.
Mom,
Mom, I swear, I, I don't,
I don't want anything.
I just...
I just wanted to tell you that I'm sorry
for everything and
I understand why you, why
you had to send me here.
- So we'll let him sleep in just a bit.
- Yeah, not too late.
- Do a bed check also.
- Back to the wilderness.
Hallelujah.
Thank you, Jesus.
Oh, I'm just so tired
of that big comfy bed.
- Are you okay?
- You're right.
I shouldn't run away.
I should have listened to him.
I just gotta play the game.
- Hey, what are you two talking about?
Hey, don't talk to him.
Hey, Ed.
Hey.
I'm noticing some real change
is happening in you, Ed.
You feel it?
- Yeah, I think so.
- Yeah.
You're making decisions for your future.
You could have stayed with Miles,
but you came back.
That is an adult decision.
That's how you get through this program.
Dealing with him, he's,
I don't want to say he is a lost cause.
I don't believe in that,
but yeah, I'm worried for him.
How about you?
You feel like you're ready to leave?
'Cause I do.
- Really?
- Really.
You gonna send me to one
of those boarding schools?
- No, Ed.
Home, you're gonna go home.
You can't stay out here forever.
Hey.
- Why now?
Why would you send me home now?
- Don't overthink it, Ed.
You've earned this.
You have.
Thought you'd be grateful.
You should be grateful.
- Thank you.
- You're gonna be in
isolation till you go.
Gather your stuff.
- What's going on, man?
Did he do something to you?
- Happy going home.
- Miles, you can tell me.
- Ah, look, the reason why
I'm out here is because
I need some aspirin.
I just, I just didn't
wanna wake up Rich and Mel.
Got some more?
- Miles.
- Come on, man.
- My jacket.
- Thanks.
Thanks, man.
- See you tomorrow.
- It's nice, isn't it?
- Yeah.
What's going on? What happened?
- Some sort of knife.
He slit his wrist.
He's gone.
- No, no, no,
Hey, no, no, no.
- Okay, I understand.
- He's gone.
- I know what you did.
I know what you did.
This is your fault. I know what you did.
No, no, no.
- Don't.
- Get off me, you pervert.
I know what you did to him.
- Stop it, you're hurting him.
- Miles left a note!
He left a note.
- Mel, come here.
- Mel.
- No, stop.
- Mel.
This is ridiculous.
Whatever this note says,
don't trust a fucking-
- He is lying.
- Rich.
- These boys are addicts.
Look at 'em.
Look at 'em.
Look at 'em.
We're talking about a kid we deal...
We chased him down over
the whole fucking mountain.
Don't listen to any of this.
- Officers,
you need to see this.
- This is a bit much, isn't it, Rich?
Rich, these, guys, these
guys, they're just...
Who are you gonna trust?
Who are you gonna trust?
These guys are fucking addicts.
They're fucking addicts.
Oh, listen to her.
- What the fuck?
Whoa.
- Don't do anything stupid.
Alright, Frank, find some pants.
Get dressed,
now!
Don't think, don't think about it.
- Fuck you. Get off me.
- Relax.
- Get off me.
- Relax, relax.
Come on, let's go.
Let's go.
Frank, watch your step.
Come on.
- Let go of me.
- Come on.
Don't let him, don't lose that arm.
- Stop, let go of me.
- All right.
Here we go.
Alright.
- Fucking bitch.
- Okay, that's enough.
- I'll never fucking forgive you.
- All right, all right, all right.
Come on.
Come on.
Put up against the thing here.
All right, hold on.
- Stop.
Got him, you got him?
- Yep, I got him.
- Relax, breathe.
Breathe.
Yeah, that's good.
All right?
- I got him, I got him.
- All right.
Hold on, hold on.
- All right, easy.
Oops.
- Yeah, it's pretty, huh?
- Hey boys.
- Oh, hey, hey.
It's a girl.
Look.
Ain't gonna be so bad.
- You must be Ed.
Huh?
How was he?
- Oh, he didn't say a damn word.
- I got him from my here.
All right.
- Thanks Phil.
- Yeah.
- Come on, this way.
Let your eyes adjust.
It is pretty here.
- It's called spindling.
It's how the natives
survived for centuries.
- Say hi to Rich.
- No need.
Just know you're gonna
have to do that every day
if you want to cook on the coals.
- They can't talk to you until
you're out of First Camp.
Let's get you set up.
Wait here.
Hey, James.
I got Ed here.
- One moment.
Come on in.
Come on.
How's it going, Ed?
- He's not talking.
- Mel, would you take Miles outside?
You do the intake.
Gotta make sure you didn't
bring anything harmful
out to the desert,
drugs mostly, but you'd be surprised
what people try and get out here.
Strip down, please.
We got all day.
Let's start you in First Camp.
It's the deprogram.
You'll learn how to
survive in the wilderness.
Oh, well, bend over.
You'll learn to make your own backpack
and fire-starting tools,
and then when ready,
you'll join the other boys.
Give me a cough.
One more.
You can't cook on the coals
until you yourself spark a flame.
That's how nature wants it.
I've seen kids better themselves,
but it has to come from them.
We'll get you started in First Camp
and then we'll begin your journey.
Welcome to the desert.
Wake up, buddy.
Come on, wake up.
Where did you, where did
you think you were going?
- Oof, that's quite a bite you got there.
Hmm.
We're lucky we found you.
It's easy to die out here.
There you go.
There you go.
- It looks like someone's gonna be
a bit of a challenge.
I'll run ahead and tell the others.
- All right.
Thanks.
After 10 years of therapeutic
work with troubled teens,
I started this wilderness therapy.
I learned very quickly
what does and doesn't work.
So let's start with what works.
Discipline,
trust, faith.
These are all pillars of a,
of a successful young man.
You know, people skate
by in life, never having
to look in the mirror.
But out here, there's no phones,
there's, there's no clocks.
Every, every meal is earned.
Every bed is made by the, by
the young man who makes it.
And everything happens as it will.
You know, it's interesting
in life we are in,
sometimes we go through
hills and and valleys
and we're never quite sure where we're at.
But a lot of the youth that
come to me are in a valley,
and their parents are,
are at the end of trying
to figure out how best to help them.
And that's where we come in.
My name is James Bigsby.
I'm the camp director, also a
published child psychologist,
and I'm here for your child
to help them find their
way through the wilderness.
Wouldn't stop, huh?
How you holding up?
No?
Stay silent as long as you want.
I'm in no hurry.
Mmm.
You got quite the track record.
Kicked out of high school repeatedly,
arrested for shoplifting.
Overdosed.
Almost died then.
Did you want that?
Mmm.
You want some aspirin?
You need to talk to me first.
- Please give it to me.
- He speaks.
- How long will I be here?
- You're here as long as I see fit.
Here's what I can tell you though.
I don't want you here any
longer than is necessary.
I want you to succeed,
become a man.
- I want my phone call.
- Nope.
No phones, no computers, no distractions.
Just you and nature.
Here.
Get going on this spindle.
- Did someone take my brown sugar?
- Yeah, blame the Black guy.
- Let us look in your bag.
- Why you always
taking his side?
You wanna take mine?
- Miles, Niko, relax.
- How am I getting in trouble
for getting my shit stolen?
- Oh, 'cause you know nothing
about stealing, right, Niko?
Huh?
- Whatever.
- Oh, fuck, fuck.
- Apologize.
- This might
be the best one yet, ladies.
Tonight I'll eat wild
salmon with Steve Irwin
somewhere in the rainforest.
- Wild salmon, that sounds gross.
- Well, after evading
the predator's grasp,
any protein tastes good.
- Well, I'm in Ko Chang.
I'm slurping down my mai tai,
while she's slurping-
- Hey!
- Enough!
- Yeah, of course.
Yeah.
Of course.
Yeah, so, okay.
Yeah, I just spoke with him earlier.
He's in, he's in good spirits.
No, no, he's, he's right on pace.
I don't want him here any longer than you.
It's all right.
No, it's all right.
He's in good hands.
- What are you doing?
Giving up already?
- Just taking a break.
- You're not using your legs at all.
It's just like dropping in the skate park.
- Dad, I'm just taking a break.
- All right, fine.
Take a break.
The left you caught
earlier, that was good.
Girls on the shoreline sure dug it.
Oh, but they're always
gotta pay attention to you,
some good looking and talented baby.
Anyway, it's good to see you, Mitch.
- Good to see you too.
- Yeah.
- Yeah, good to see you.
- Chasing everybody else, just chasing.
Yeah, I don't think
they're gonna tell you.
Yeah, so one of them.
- Fuck.
- You're from Delaware.
You're not a fucking rapper.
- Oh, you prefer country?
- Holy fuck, man.
Stop.
- He never fucking shuts up.
Other one's Niko.
He's like a prophet or some shit.
You're Ed, right?
- Thought you weren't
supposed to talk to me.
I'm Miles.
- How long have you been here?
Too long, if you wanna know.
- So we do this every day?
- It's all one day.
Days are weeks.
Weeks are days.
You got it?
Got it?
- Oh, it's gotta go,
it's gotta go, here, here.
Slam it, slam it, slam it, slam it.
There.
See?
All right.
I got, I got it, I got it.
Watch, I'll show you.
See, it's like that.
- What are you doing?
- Eat up.
I'm sure you're hungry.
You need a backpack.
Tomorrow's hike's gonna be worse.
- What the hell could be worse?
- Today's was easy.
Never have two easy ones in a row.
Then tomorrow, tend to be
working on the spindling shit
before trying to make a spark.
- I was gonna finish mine.
- It's easier with this.
- Did you make that?
- I'm resourceful.
- Why are you helping me?
- Someone's got to.
James helping you?
Goodnight.
- Nice pack.
Pretty good woodwork for a newbie,
Especially when still in First Camp.
- You got something to say, say it.
- Just play by the rules.
They catch you cheating,
we're all here longer.
Gonna be another beautiful day, ah.
- Hurry up first camper.
You don't wanna hike in the dark.
- I'm not hiking in the dark.
- Hey, hey, hey.
Here.
Have some of my water.
Rich.
We need some help.
Hey.
You all right?
- I'm gonna call James.
He can't be that far out.
- Let's get him to the shade.
- I can't do this again.
I almost lost you, Ed.
I can't keep doing this.
- Then stop.
That's better.
- Gonna be a tough road, Ed.
You have an illness.
- I need to go home.
- You're just where you need to be.
I know this ain't your work.
Just be careful who you
accept help from out here.
These kids all got their own motives.
We're dealing with troubled teens.
- Is that what I am?
- You?
No.
You just gotta spark a flame, man.
Get out of First Camp, join the boys,
start your journey.
- Fuck.
Hey, hey. I got it.
- Breathe, don't blow.
Breathe.
- Hey.
Hey, he just got fire.
Well, come on.
- Woo.
Love this shit.
- You know in Thailand,
you can live like a king
for just $5 a day.
Do you know how easy
it's to make $5 a day?
Ko Chang, bitch.
- The surf's supposed to be great too.
- You surf?
Well, can you teach me?
- Yeah, you wanna go tomorrow?
- Yeah. Fuck yeah, actually.
I want, I wanna open
up a bar on the beach.
I wanna sell mushroom tea
to all the white tourists.
Be fucking kingpin, man.
Now you could teach 'em how to surf.
Salt Lake City to Phoenix.
Phoenix to Bangkok.
Bangkok to Ko Chang.
$900, one way.
Never coming back.
- But you got $900?
- I got 1800, motherfucker.
Mm-hmm.
- Yeah,
Let me know.
- I fucking will.
- I miss you.
Oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
Oh.
Oh, I love you so much.
I love you so much.
- Good for you.
- It was called the
highlight reel, newbie.
You got one?
- All right, let's set up camp here.
- Done?
- What are you doing?
- That's how you can tell
when the sun's setting.
Each finger between the sun
and the ground is 15 minutes.
So sunset sets in 45.
- How long do you think
it'll take us to get over that mountain?
- A couple hours, full day.
- Not longer than that?
- It'll take us four.
Book it at 2:00 a.m.
We'll be on the other side by sunrise.
I'm just saying.
- What are you saying?
- There's a town on the other side.
- How would you know that?
- 'Cause I knew my parents
would send me back here.
So when I was at home, I
studied maps of the desert.
- You got outta here?
- Man, keep up.
You know what TBS is?
- No.
- Therapeutic Boarding
School for Troubled Teens.
They wanna keep us here till we're 18,
milk every penny from our parents.
- They can't do that?
- Hmm.
Yes, they can.
Wake up.
Look, we're not wort shit to them at home.
When I made it through the
wilderness the first time,
I stole a car from TBS and
booked it back to Chattanooga.
When I woke up, I was gooned, blindfolded,
and in the back of a Pontiac.
- Maybe 'cause you stole a car.
- Yeah, maybe.
- Next stop Thailand.
- Miles.
Therapy.
- Geez, that was a long one.
- Hey.
- James always has his favorites.
- Yeah, circle of life.
Used to be Andy, now it's Miles.
- Nice to hear someone lived.
- Miles swooped in to
fill that spot real quick.
- You sound jealous.
- Miles has his games.
I got mine.
- Oh, so you're intentionally
not the favorite.
- Your new bestie's just trying
to be the next one outta here.
Everything he does is to help himself.
- He isn't like that.
- We're all like that.
- Good job, Ed.
- With what?
- Oh, just dealing with the
bumps of this transition.
It's not easy.
- Yeah.
- Well you seem to be
gelling with the group.
You and Miles are close.
What's he say about me?
- He just wants to go home.
- You mean he wants the easy way out.
- Don't we all?
- Do you, or do
you really want to change?
- It's been a crazy couple
days since your uncle
got to town.
- Yeah, what'd he do?
- What didn't he do?
Car broke down again.
Of course he's got no cell phone.
I'm calling every hospital in
town trying to find his ass.
I'm gonna have him show
up at your grandma's door,
arm's full of groceries,
that smile of his.
Fucker.
Jesus Christ, Henry.
Of course he's got me
laughing within a minute.
I give him a ride down to the
police impound to get his car
and he somehow talks them
into giving him his car back
without charging him a dime.
Incredible.
Anyway, you
gotta help out your family.
Son, if there's one lesson
I can teach you, it's that.
Speaking of, I'm wondering
if maybe you could help
me out with something.
It's just been a rough
couple of days, you know,
and I just need a little
something, something
to take the edge off.
You know?
You got anything?
No problem.
I shouldn't have asked that.
Shouldn't have asked that.
I'm gonna take off.
I'll see you.
- No wait, Dad.
- I'm sorry, son.
- Hey, what you looking at?
- Nothing.
- Oh.
Well, fun's over boys.
It used to be 24/7
as we make our way down this canyon.
Oh.
So Levi, you're gonna be
gone before you know it.
I want you to think about
life outside this desert.
- I have.
Believe me, plenty.
- All right.
Well, let's hear it.
- Well, I'm gonna be on a houseboat
with my girl, just
floating through eternity.
- I mean, maybe a
bit more personal detail.
- She'll be about 5'2", 5'3',
buck 25.
- No, I...
Just think about who you
were before you got here.
Okay?
- Yes, sir.
- Think about that.
How are you, Miles?
- Yeah.
- Good?
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
Hmm.
I feel a sense of neglect from you.
Neglect for the program,
for these boys around you.
- What?
- Yeah.
You don't see it?
Did you not disregard the program
by finishing Ed's backpack for him?
- No, I didn't.
- The program's
the program, Miles.
It's that way for a reason.
I want you all to succeed.
Is that not clear?
That's the goal here.
That's the goal.
I'm placing you on therapeutic leave.
- What?
- It's like being a first camper,
only you can't communicate with anyone,
not even the counselors.
- Why?
- Because you're not buying in.
You're just skating on the surface.
You're not getting anything
outta this program, Miles,
not a thing.
- That's gotta be a joke.
- What's that?
- This is a joke.
- Oh, I don't joke.
That's you.
You're not taking this seriously, Miles.
I need you to trust me.
Let me help you, please.
Just let me help you.
What's that game called where you pretend
you're somewhere eating something else?
What is that?
Ed, do it for me.
Come on, Ed.
Gimme something to work with here.
Ed, over here.
You don't need to look at him.
Over here.
Where are you,
what are you eating,
and with who?
- I'm on the beach,
eating a sandwich with my friend Mike.
- There you go.
- Go back up.
- What?
We're leaving.
Just go.
- What, what do you mean, leaving?
- We're going.
- Go where?
- What don't you understand?
We'll never be close to that town.
We gotta leave now if we
wanna make it by morning.
- Wait, dude, dude,
wait, hold on, hold on.
You get out of isolation,
you get to go home.
- Home?
You think he's gonna send us home?
It doesn't matter what you do.
You can suck his fucking dick
and it wouldn't mean shit.
Look, I got two options.
I can either stay here
for two more years or I could leave now.
Thailand, huh?
Girls, liquor, surfing.
Money's in the fucking bank.
I'll be there in two days.
You coming or not?
- Holy shit.
You sure you know where you're going?
- Of course.
Keep my eyes on the prize, baby.
- What's this town called?
- Some Mormon death cult
hell-bearing, fear-mongering name.
I don't fucking know, man.
- Well, you don't
know what it's called.
- I'll know it when I see it.
All right?
Hey, maybe we can get some zazz off one
of those stuck up housewives.
- What?
- Come on, man.
Just have some fucking fun.
And fuck it.
You know, we can take a
car and book it to Provo.
- Is that what this is about?
You getting high?
- What?
No, look, soon we're gonna be in Thailand,
chilling oceanside, waves are crashing.
You're doing your little surfing lessons.
I got 12-year-old boys
working for 10 pesos a week.
Gonna be fucking kingpins, man.
You're just gonna have to trust me.
- I think we should go back.
- You fucking kidding me, man?
We finally made it outta there.
We're free.
- No, I know,
but if we go back now, they'll
never even know we left.
- There's never gonna be a perfect time.
- Miles, you need help.
- You sound like James.
- Yeah,
and you sound like a fucking addict.
- And what are you, huh?
You want to leave?
Be my guest.
- Miles, wait.
- Never fucking going back.
- It's raining!
Hey, it's raining.
we gotta set up the car.
Hurry up!
Hurry up!
Come on.
- What do we do?
- Here.
Ed, you go up to the creek.
Square knot!
- I don't what that is.
- Oh come on.
- What the hell?
Go get some big rocks.
- All right.
Ready, you got it?
Where's Miles?
come on, hurry up.
- Miles!
- Hurry up, Miles!
Come on, hurry up!
- So, no one knows where he went, huh?
Nothing under his tree.
Poof, he's just gone.
You know something.
- No.
- Yes you do.
He helped you out.
He said you owe him.
- No, I don't know where he is.
You think keeping your mouth
shut is gonna save him?
Hmm?
He's gonna die out there.
He's gonna die because you,
Where did he go?
- Over the mountain.
Thinks there's a town over there.
- Call the chopper.
Tell him to get over to the Red Peak.
- There's no reception.
- We have to go for him.
- Who?
- Us!
All of us.
- Into this storm?
It's too dangerous.
- For who?
Us or Miles?
- We don't have a car.
- Jesus.
We are going.
We are going now.
Get ready.
- Come on.
We gotta pack.
What did I tell you?
First chance Miles gets, he runs off
and fucks us in the process.
- He asked me to go with him.
I should be with him right now.
- Then we'd be looking
for two dead bodies.
- What did you just say?
- the truth.
- You're a fucking asshole.
- If you're so worried about him,
why'd you sit on this
information all that-
- Because he trusted me.
It's not my fault you
don't trust anybody here.
- And what did you
trusting Miles get him?
What are you trusting Miles get you?
Go straight in?
Hey, straight?
- Yeah, towards the mountain.
- Miles!
- Hey, Ed.
Hey, don't worry about Levi.
This is just hard for him.
He isn't in the right mind.
No, this is just exactly
what happened with Andy.
- Andy ran away?
- He tried.
Chopper could find him, neither did we.
- He really got out.
- If that means...
Maybe.
- Keep up back there.
- Miles!
- Miles!
- Miles!
- Miles!
- Miles!
- Okay, spread out.
- Yeah.
- Miles!
Miles!
- Miles.
- Miles!
- Miles!
- Miles!
- You're safe, Miles.
- Hey, fuck you.
- Don't you move.
- Hey, fuck you, both.
- Ed, go get the others.
Tell 'em to meet on the other side.
- Hey, don't fucking leave me here, Ed.
Swear to God.
If you-
- Ed, go!
- Ed!
- I'll, I'll, I'll be right back.
- No, I swear to God.
Ed!
Ed!
- What happened?
- He tried to run and he slipped.
- What did you do?
- He's here because of you, Ed.
Now help him get bandaged up.
- We have to take
him to the hospital.
- Boys, eat.
Come on.
We got a long road ahead of us.
Come on, make your meal.
- James, please.
- Can I just get a moment of peace?
We still don't have any reception.
We can't go over the mountain with him.
We have to go down into the valley.
- And what's there?
- Shelter.
- So there is a town?
- I didn't say that.
Yeah, hi.
It's, it's James.
James Bigsby.
Yeah.
We could use some medical assistance.
After you.
- You got
something to throw at him?
How you holding up?
- Can't sleep.
- These beds are rough, right?
- I didn't know about Andy.
I'm sorry for that
and for all this.
- I know how you feel
The guilt.
Letting someone down.
I know what you're going through.
- Have you seen Miles?
- Mind if I get one?
- No can do.
Why didn't you run?
- I don't know.
- I do love a good landscape.
- That's what you get.
- Miles.
Are you okay?
- Yeah, I'm great, man.
Just heaven.
Good food, cute girls,
nurse to wipe my ass.
You think I'm crazy, don't you?
- No.
You think I'm screwed up?
You must think I'm a fucking idiot.
- No, dude.
- How'd he get you to talk?
What did he promise you?
Huh?
He say you're gonna go
home, be with your mommy?
- No, he said you'd die.
- We're all gonna die, Ed.
It's the best part.
- I don't want you to die.
Miles's-
- It's cool, man.
Forget it.
- Miles.
- You want any of this?
- No.
- Hey.
What?
- He told me this would happen.
Must have been sitting right here.
First time he brought me to this beach.
They were doing a paddle
out that day as well
and he just pointed and said,
"One day when I'm gone,"
you'll do this for me.
A lot of people loved your dad, Ed.
You've got the best of him, you...
- What about the worst of him?
You gonna tell me I have that too.
Hey, Mom, it's me.
Yeah.
I just, I just borrowed the phone.
Oh, it's, it's fine.
Look, Mom, I just,
I just wanted to call
and say that I'm sorry.
Mom,
Mom, I swear, I, I don't,
I don't want anything.
I just...
I just wanted to tell you that I'm sorry
for everything and
I understand why you, why
you had to send me here.
- So we'll let him sleep in just a bit.
- Yeah, not too late.
- Do a bed check also.
- Back to the wilderness.
Hallelujah.
Thank you, Jesus.
Oh, I'm just so tired
of that big comfy bed.
- Are you okay?
- You're right.
I shouldn't run away.
I should have listened to him.
I just gotta play the game.
- Hey, what are you two talking about?
Hey, don't talk to him.
Hey, Ed.
Hey.
I'm noticing some real change
is happening in you, Ed.
You feel it?
- Yeah, I think so.
- Yeah.
You're making decisions for your future.
You could have stayed with Miles,
but you came back.
That is an adult decision.
That's how you get through this program.
Dealing with him, he's,
I don't want to say he is a lost cause.
I don't believe in that,
but yeah, I'm worried for him.
How about you?
You feel like you're ready to leave?
'Cause I do.
- Really?
- Really.
You gonna send me to one
of those boarding schools?
- No, Ed.
Home, you're gonna go home.
You can't stay out here forever.
Hey.
- Why now?
Why would you send me home now?
- Don't overthink it, Ed.
You've earned this.
You have.
Thought you'd be grateful.
You should be grateful.
- Thank you.
- You're gonna be in
isolation till you go.
Gather your stuff.
- What's going on, man?
Did he do something to you?
- Happy going home.
- Miles, you can tell me.
- Ah, look, the reason why
I'm out here is because
I need some aspirin.
I just, I just didn't
wanna wake up Rich and Mel.
Got some more?
- Miles.
- Come on, man.
- My jacket.
- Thanks.
Thanks, man.
- See you tomorrow.
- It's nice, isn't it?
- Yeah.
What's going on? What happened?
- Some sort of knife.
He slit his wrist.
He's gone.
- No, no, no,
Hey, no, no, no.
- Okay, I understand.
- He's gone.
- I know what you did.
I know what you did.
This is your fault. I know what you did.
No, no, no.
- Don't.
- Get off me, you pervert.
I know what you did to him.
- Stop it, you're hurting him.
- Miles left a note!
He left a note.
- Mel, come here.
- Mel.
- No, stop.
- Mel.
This is ridiculous.
Whatever this note says,
don't trust a fucking-
- He is lying.
- Rich.
- These boys are addicts.
Look at 'em.
Look at 'em.
Look at 'em.
We're talking about a kid we deal...
We chased him down over
the whole fucking mountain.
Don't listen to any of this.
- Officers,
you need to see this.
- This is a bit much, isn't it, Rich?
Rich, these, guys, these
guys, they're just...
Who are you gonna trust?
Who are you gonna trust?
These guys are fucking addicts.
They're fucking addicts.
Oh, listen to her.