Wild America

Director:	William Dear
Writer:	David Michael Wieger
Director of Photography:	David Burr
Editor:	O. Nicholas Brown
Music:	Joel McNeely
Production Designer:	Steven Jordan
Producers:	James G. Robinson, Irby Smith and Mark Stouffer
	Warner Bros.; PG; 110 minutes
Release:	7/97
Cast:	Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Devon Sawa, Scott Bairstow, Jamey Sheridan and Frances Fisher

Based on the true adventures of the Stouffer brothers, Wild America relies on Thomas's charm and boyish appeal to carry this benign action film. And that he does, playing the cinematic prop in the exploits of his older brothers. When Marty Stouffer, Sr. (Sheridan) buys his oldest son, Marty, Jr. (Bairstow), a budding auteur, a 16 mm camera, junior and his younger brother, Mark (Sawa), take to America's blue highways to film rare and endangered species. Youngest sibling Marshall (Thomas) soon pops out of the back of the truck and lets his brothers know he's along for the ride. The boys run into a snapping alligator, wild horses, a moose and a den of grizzly bears. Brad Pitt better watch out: Thomas also has charisma and looks.