What is one very important relationship in the film adaptation of Into the Wild? How does this relationship positively or negatively influence one...

One important relationship shown in the film adaptation of Into the Wild is the relationship between Chris McCandless and Ronald Franz.  

The film makes some definite changes from the book, and the film includes multiple scenes that Krakauer did not write about in his book about McCandless.  For example, the scene with McCandless and Franz on some random desert mountain top talking about God, forgiveness, and love is not in Krakauer's account; however, the...

One important relationship shown in the film adaptation of Into the Wild is the relationship between Chris McCandless and Ronald Franz.  

The film makes some definite changes from the book, and the film includes multiple scenes that Krakauer did not write about in his book about McCandless.  For example, the scene with McCandless and Franz on some random desert mountain top talking about God, forgiveness, and love is not in Krakauer's account; however, the scene does add depth to the relationship between McCandless and Franz.  

Both the book and the film stress the importance of the relationship between McCandless and Franz.  Both stories show that the relationship was beneficial to both people.  In McCandless, Franz finds another "son" to take under his wing.  McCandless finds the sort of father figure that he wishes he had.  What the film shows very well, especially in that mountain top scene, is that Franz deeply loves McCandless and encourages him to follow his dream.  When Franz says "I wish I could go with you," that is the equivalent of his blessing on McCandless's travels.  McCandless equally encourages Franz.  He encourages Franz to further simplify his life and look beyond relationships with people.  By doing this, Franz will be able to further find pleasure, harmony, and the meaning of life (according to McCandless).  

I've attached a link to that scene.