Institute History
Description
John Callahan has a lust for life, a knack for off-color jokes, and a drinking problem. When an all-night bender ends in a catastrophic car accident, John wakes up to the reality of being confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life. In his journey back from rock bottom, his honesty and wicked sense of humor turn out to be his saving grace, as he makes friends with an oddball AA group, finds that love is not beyond his reach, and develops a talent for drawing irreverent and sometimes shocking cartoons.
The drawings of the real-life John Callahan delight in the macabre that he found in everyday life. Fellow Portlandian Gus Van Sant proves to be the perfect director to tell John’s story—with films like Drugstore Cowboy and My Own Private Idaho, Van Sant has an adept skill for creating dynamic outsiders. Featuring a shape-shifting lead performance by Joaquin Phoenix and outstanding support by Jonah Hill, Rooney Mara, and Jack Black, Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far On Foot finds beauty and comedy in the absurdity of human experience.