The Appalachian Trail winds for more than 2,000 miles, and the hikers who take on such adventures form a special bond—anyone who has read Cheryl Strayed’s Wild can tell you that. When a malnourished man is found deceased in a tent in the wilderness of Florida, armchair detectives and internet sleuths jump on the task of identifying the stranger.
This new feature-length documentary on Max tackles the story of the hiker only known by his trail names “Denim” and “Mostly Harmless,” and the journey many went on to finally identify who he was outside of the trail. This film pulls in interviews from people who met the man on the trail as well as the internet groups and law enforcement that were trying to identify him. But Mostly Harmless soon turns into a mythical legend among those searching for his true identity.
What secrets does his story hide, and are they secrets for a reason? Mystery lovers will enjoy watching this one get solved and the unexpected turns it takes along the way. As fascinating as Mostly Harmless’ story is, the story of these amateur internet detectives and their infighting was just as interesting. People have weird hobbies. (89 min.)
—Anna Starkey
This article appears in Feb 15-25, 2024.