Reel People: James Franco is Aron Ralston

The film is 127 Hours. The film is directed by Danny Boyle and co-written by Boyle and Simeon Beaufoy. Boyle and Beaufoy worked together previously, their last project being the multi-Oscar winning film Slumdog Millionaire. This source text for this film is Ralston's own book Between a Rock and a Hard Place.

Aron Ralston

Aron Ralston was born to Donna and Larry Ralston in 1975.

When Ralston graduated from Cherry Creek High School in the suburbs of Denver it would seem that his life would seem typical of a high-achieving graduate.

Ralston attended Carnegie Mellon University, where he continued to achieve as an honor student and member of Phi Beta Kappa, a residents hall director, and active in the student body. With a degree in mechanical engineering he would go on an work for Intel in his field.

In 2002 Ralston decided to quit his job at Intel and decided to quit his job to climb all of the 53 Colorado peaks over 14000 feet (14ers). Raltson's goal was to be the first to climb all the 14ers solo in winter.

His passion for mountaineering led him to what would be an accident, and a Ralston's claim to fame. In April 2003, Ralston was in Bluejohn Canyon in Moab, Utah. While climbing his hand got stuck under an 800 pound boulder that shifted.

While pinned to the canyon wall, Ralston used his video camera to leave final messages to his family and explain who he was assuming he would die in the canyon.

After the fifth full day of being stuck and pinned to the canyon wall, Ralston took fate into his own hand by using a multi-tool devise to amputate his own right hand, and then repel out of the canyon to freedom. Where he was eventually rescued by a helicopter after a family hiking encountered him and was able to alert the authorities.

After the accident, he got various criticisms regarding his errors as a climber, but he continued to climb as well as become a motivational speaker sharing his story. He also gained tremendous fame, with multiple appearances on the talk show circuit and publication of his own book.

In 2005 Ralston did finish his goal of climbing of all the 14ers in Colorado in winter, even with his missing limb.

Ralston and his recently wed wife Jessica know live in Boulder, Colorado.

127 Hours

Aron Ralston has long been interested in his story being told on screen, but his interest has leaned towards the style of Touching the Void, the 2003 film based on the writings and story of Joe Simpson.

Yet, Danny Boyle and his team acquired the writes to tell Aron Ralston's story as a theatrical film, that as the title illustrates focuses primarily upon the time that Ralston was stuck in Bluejohn Canyon in Moab.

As a result, more so even that Emile Hirsch's role in Into The Wild, Franco carries this film as the central performer. Other performers include Amber Tamblyn and Lizzie Caplan.

The film also reunites much of the crew that brought that told the story of Slumdog Millionaire including producer Christian Colson.

James Franco has another bio-pic on his 2010 calender as he will be portraying Allen Ginsberg in the movie Howl.

As a critically acclaimed performer whose never been nominated for an Academy Award. Will Franco's portrayal as a mountaineer in peril will receive critical attention, perhaps even an Oscar nomination/win, for portraying this Real (Reel) Person?