At the top of his reach, Mark Hudon can only just touch Jordan Cannon’s head.
It’s an odd first impression about Free as Can Be, the Arc’teryx chronicle of the unlikely climbing duo, but it definitely hits. Does it owe to their matching outfits which, intentional or not, immediately paint Hudon as Cannon’s mini-me?
Photo: Screenshot
Is it Cannon’s skinny, sneaky height or Hudon’s yawning wingspan?
If the quirky Hudon is some kind of odd doppleganger for the polite Cannon, neither one seems to mind the arrangement.
“Jordan [targeted] Mark. It’s very sad, actually,” climber and filmmaker Cedar Wright jokes. “He’s preying on a senior citizen so that he can go and send his projects.”
Wright’s take is characteristically needling and clever.
Free as Can Be weaves several storylines together around one core thread, which is the year Cannon spent supporting Hudon on his goal to free climb El Capitan.
Photo: Screenshot
63-year-old vs 20-something
The novelty is clear but limited in a story about a friendship between a 63-year-old and a 20-something. Which makes it a good thing the film’s directorial choices are sometimes circuitous.
Hudon’s own story as a talented but uncelebrated 1970s Yosemite pioneer is vibrant and informative.
Hudon and his main partner, Max Jones, back in the day. Photo: Screenshot
So are the interviews, especially one with Brad Gobright — which lands eerily in the 2021 film after his 2019 death.
And while the dynamics between Hudon and Cannon aren’t necessarily fresh, they do offer interesting qualities. How would Cannon, a young technician, support this transient, enigmatic elder in his challenge quest? By surprising him with a travel-oriented training program packed with modern techniques and aspirational objectives.
It builds to become a slow-burning endearment. If the odd couple setup didn’t stimulate me, the camera’s ability to capture the evident adoration between the two did.
Cannon can be serious to the point of insufferable. And while Hudon’s default mode is impish, he doesn’t always play the funny man between the two.
“Today, we’re teaching an old dog new tricks,” Cannon says in voiceover, shooting a cell phone video of Hudon racking up.
“Me being the old dog,” Hudon retorts skeptically.
“You only look old,” Cannon fires back.
Hudon’s face — half “good one, wise guy,” half “wanna fight?” — is priceless.
Photo: Screenshot
Overall, Free as Can Be’s colors pop. It would be easy for the film to posture at wisdom while limiting itself by sentimentality. Instead, skillful storytelling allows it to mimic the skill of its protagonists: it catches lightning in a bottle.
