James Franco’s Coming-Of-Age Stories Brought to Life in ‘Yosemite’

Sandra Miska

Adapted from short stories written by actor James Franco, the indie drama “Yosemite” tells the intertwining tales of three 5th graders in 1985. The title comes from the national state park in which the first story takes place. Phil (Franco) takes his young sons, 10-year-old Chris (Everett Meckler) and little guy Alex (Troy Tinnirello) to Yosemite National Park for the weekend. Although Phil and his boys appear to be a happy, normal family, it is revealed that this was not always the case. Phil has just celebrated his “birthday,” six years of sobriety. He explains to Chris that because his sobriety age is also supposed to be his maturity age, he’s actually younger than his son. 

The film opens with the three of them in the car listening to a radio report about the threat of mountain lions in the area. Driven out of their natural habitat by urban expansion, these “powerful predators” have been having recent run-ins with humans that are causing locals to be concerned.

While on a hike in Yosemite, Chris wanders away from Phil and Alex and comes across an unattended bonfire and is frightened to discover a mysterious skeleton burning in it. Once they are warm and safe inside their hotel room, Phil alerts the ranger station, and they explain away what Chris saw, which satisfies Phil but leaves Chris unconvinced.

The second and third stories also feature Chris but are told from the respective POVs of his friends and classmates Joe (Alec Mansky) and Ted (Calum John) back home in suburban Palo Alto. We first meet Joe in a party store reading comic books. After the elderly store owner catches Joe stealing a piece of gum, 20-something Henry (Henry Hopper) steps up and pays for it. The older guy invites Joe back to his house to read. A friendship develops, which naturally makes the viewer uneasy since it’s unclear whether or not Henry is just a lonely young man looking for attention or if he has more sinister intentions. Even Joe is somewhat leery of Henry at first but eventually grows comfortable with him and opens up about his traumatic past, including the death of a loved one and his father’s leaving.

Probably because he has experienced so much pain and is often left alone, Joe appears to be more mature than his peers and deeply spiritual. He not only prays nightly but also walks barefoot on rocks to impress God. His best frenemy is Ted, who instigates fights in the classroom that cause both boys to be disciplined.

In Ted’s story, a softer side is shown of him at home with his beloved orange tabby cat, Charlie. After Charlie goes missing and is presumed to have been killed by a mountain lion wreaking havoc in the area, Ted reconnects with Joe. After Chris finds his mother’s loser boyfriend’s handgun, the three boys set out to hunt the mountain lion.

Although the protagonists are 10-year-old boys, this film is too introspective and slow for children of that age. However, director Gabrielle Demeestere, whom Franco met while attending New York University, does an excellent job of making the boys appear both vulnerable and tough. Adults will also appreciate the beautiful nature scenes and a charming performance by Franco.

The 1985 setting is interesting but doesn’t really add much to the film, which is centered on nature, except for allowing for amusing scenes in which Ted’s insomniac father (Steven Wiig) plays around on an early version of the Internet.

The two Franco stories that “Yosemite” is based were included in his 2010 book that provided the source material for another film, Gia Coppola’s “Palo Alto.”

“Yosemite” is currently playing in New York and opens Jan. 8 San Jose, CA. It opens Jan. 22 in Los Angeles, with more national dates to follow.