From the director of Dallas Buyers Club, comes his new film, Wild. It's a beautifully shot movie about a young woman who travels the entire Pacific Crest Trail over a period of three months. It is a true story and from the book about Cheryl Strayed. I have not read the book, but I'm sure it's good. Also, don't confuse Wild with another movie that just came out called Tracks. While the two have a similar plot, the characters are extremely opposite.
The film opens with Cheryl (Reese Witherspoon) setting off on her trip. With little to no experience in hiking, she is so unprepared that she cannot even put on her own pack, which receives the nickname "Monster" by some other hikers. Along the way, she has flashbacks about her family and her life before the hike. Cheryl was a good kid growing up, and then after a traumatic event, she becomes promiscuous, and a heroin addict. After her husband cannot take care of her anymore, he files for divorce. Cheryl realizes the place she in, and believes the hike will help her rediscover the girl she used to be.
The cinematography is beautiful. I knew there were several different terrains along the Pacific Coast, but it is breathtaking to see. It made me want to bust out my old hiking gear from storage. Much of the film takes place in the Mojave Desert. It gradually changes to grasslands, mountains, and forests. It is scary that she is by herself. She has a few dangerous encounters with men along the trail. But the good news is that she does make some friends, too.
The opening scene is quite gruesome, and we know that she has been hiking a while before the story starts from the beginning. There is always a part of her that is wanting to quit, and she is constantly tempted. The only contact she keeps on the road is with her ex-husband. It hurts her to contact him, but it also teaches her an important lesson about the mistakes she made and the affects they have on others. Cheryl reflects on wisdom given to her by her mother, Bobbi (played by Laura Dern), and recognizes what to do in uncontrollable situations. This hike is teaching her how to grow up, how to mourn when it is deserved, and how to be strong without the expectations of others.
I didn't feel extremely moved by Wild. It might have been that I recently saw Tracks, or that Into the Wild was such a great movie. Either way, it is a movie that I will watch again soon. It was entertaining and emotionally moving, but not to the extreme. Some people might describe it as a "feel-good" film, and every now and then, I need to see a film like this. It won't be a hugely nominated film, and Witherspoon has taken on tougher roles, but it'll be fun to talk about.
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