This is where Viggo's get a huge amount of credit as I do think him and Mahershala Ali elevate the entire thing well beyond what the text itself has (best original screenplay, my arse). And I do think its their acting rather than the directing as well. Like I said earlier I think with far lesser leads the movie would of fared a lot worse.And this is where subjective interpretation comes in I guess... I felt Mortenson's portrayal (if not his lines) did actually show his characters evolution..
As to the point about older people, younger people already do whilst I am a Millennial I'm very much at the upper age range of that (so called Xennials) and they do take offence to things I don't. I have vowed and hopefully will keep it up to constantly be challenged by that and take on board what 'the youth' have to say rather than reject them like older generation have done with us.