Wild (2014)

Directed by Jean-Marc Vallée 

Written by Nick Hornby (screenplay) and Cheryl Strayed (memoir "Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail")

Starring Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern and Gaby Hoffmann

     Wild is a rare film about self-discovery and taking a "journey" to "find yourself" that is not a disappointment. I may be a bit bias since I was a huge fan of the memoir that this movie is based upon- "Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail." However, that is not to take away from the overall greatness of this movie. This movie is based on the real events in Chery Strayed's life that led up to her ultimately deciding to hike 1,000 miles on the PCT from the Mexico border to Canada. 

     The movie opens with a gruesome and raw scene of Cheryl Strayed (portrayed by Reese Witherspoon) sitting on top of a mountain on the trail, ripping off a toe nail and subsequently accidentally knocking her shoe off the side of the cliff. If this intense opening scene doesn't immediately drag you into the following storyline, than I don't know what will. Cheryl enters this extremely strenuous hike in which she is neither physically or mentally prepared for- following the death of her beloved mother, Bobbi (Laura Dern). The film follows Cheryl's journey across the trail, and every obstacle that she overcomes- with reoccurring flashbacks. Flashbacks show us Cheryl and her brother (the real life Cheryl also has a sister who was not given a character in the film) growing up poor, but rich in love. Their mother is constantly shown as a beaming ray of hope and optimism. She loves her children more than her arms can stretch out, she goes to college with Cheryl, all while maintaining her super mom persona. Things take a depressing turn as we see flashbacks of Bobbi finding out she has terminal cancer. After her death, Cheryl becomes involved with drugs and begins sleeping around with anyone who will ask. Finally, she decides to "put herself in the way of beauty" and hike herself to who her mother always thought she was, and would be. 

     Hornby did a brilliant job at transforming the heartbreaking and inspiring story from Cheryl's memoir- into an equals as awe-inspiring film. Cheryl is forced to overcome unbearable grief following the death of her mother. The method she chooses to conquer that grief, and become who she was always supposed to be is nothing less of impressive. This movie is all about perseverance and as corny as it sounds, finding your true best self and holding on to it. One of my favorite parts about the film was how it often used Simon & Garfunkel's song, "El Condor Pasa (If I Could)" as a bridge between obstacles Cheryl was facing on the trail to things from her past. 

     As far as acting goes, Reese Witherspoon nailed it. This was such a fresh, new role for her. She normally plays very fluffy, sweet characters- but Cheryl is rough around the edges. Witherspoon does an amazing job of portraying this real life character who has gone through such devastation loosing her mother. She has many intense scenes with raw emotion that left me with goosebumps. Lara Dern had a heartwarming supporting role. Her character's intense optimism never died down even after the news of her imminent death. Witherspoon and Dern both earned Academy Award nominations for their performances. 

     I love Wild for many reasons. It met my expectations after reading the memoir and then seeing the movie. The story itself is so inspiring. The acting is incredible. You would think after seeing the intense physical and emotional pain Cheryl goes through on this hike, that you would never want to hike again- but this movie just makes me want to go on a similar intense hike. Overall great movie. 

I give Wild a...

9/10