Yet another biographical film this year, Wild is based on the book of the same name. Written by Cheryl Strayed, I read this one last year or the year before. It is her account of her trek on a portion of the Pacific Crest Trail in the ’90’s. Cheryl had spent a rough couple of years after her mother’s death, dabbling in drugs, infidelity to her husband (which resulted in the loss of her marriage), and a general aimlessness to her life. One day she decided to hike this trail, almost on a whim, to escape everything and spend time focusing on herself.
The film seemed to be a pretty accurate portrayal. Reese Witherspoon plays Cheryl, and she is all ready getting acclaim for the role. Cheryl struggles the whole way throughout the film. From physical struggles (she started the hike with too-small boots, resulting in painful sores and lost toenails) to the mental ones (being alone, facing the harsh reality of what she has done to her life), she attempts to overcome every cliff she faces, real and figurative. We see her history through a series of flashbacks, with her very real demons dogging her on her trail. In the end, the film is obviously about much more than the physical trials of a strenuous hike through desert, rain, snow, and mud.
Reese is fantastic, and is at her best since Walk the Line about 10 years ago. Like the book, the film felt a little meandering in the middle, but you want to stick around for the conclusion to see how Cheryl comes out in the end.
Jons Movie Takes 