Peaceful Warrior

Nick Nolte plays a Yoda in overalls in Victor Salva's adaptation of Dan Millman's autobiographical, inspirational, part-fiction/part-memoir Way of the Peaceful Warrior. But the perverse amusement gained from watching the gruff actor trying to act like a seraphic New Age prophet isn't reward enough for watching this slow-moving, overlong, absurdly self-important film. Gangly, intense Scott Mechlowicz plays Millman, a gymnast at Berkeley living a reckless life who's troubled by visions of disaster. One night while running, Millman meets a preternaturally weird gas attendant whom he eventually dubs Socrates (Nolte), ultimately becoming his pupil and learning self-discipline and Eastern philosophy—which prove useful when Millman shatters his leg in a motorcycle accident and must try to work his way back into competitive shape with a surgically rebuilt limb. Some of this no doubt actually happened, but it all seems hopelessly fantastic here since Salva stages every scene with such an overdose of mystery and angst that the effect becomes muddily portentous and almost comic. Mechlowicz, a fine young actor, catches Millman's inner demons to considerable effect, but apart from that, the film simply tries too hard to wow us with very simpleminded life lessons served up with a very heavy hand. And Nolte is, sad to say, hilarious. Not recommended. [Note: DVD extras include “The Journey” making-of featurette (25 min.), a “Developing Your Warrior” featurette on the widespread impact of the book (11 min.), deleted and extended scenes (15 min.), a “Book to Screen” feature that allows viewers to select pages from the book and watch the corresponding scene, the music video “I'm There Too” performed by Michelle Featherstone, and trailers. Bottom line: a fine extras package for a disappointing film.] (F. Swietek)