Tags
2010's, Based on a true story, Drama, Jean-Marc Vallée, Kevin Rankin, Laura Dern, Michiel Huisman, Reese Witherspoon, Thomas Sadoski, Wild
Film Title
Wild
Director
Jean-Marc Vallée
Starring
- Reese Witherspoon as Cheryl Stayed
- Laura Dern as Bobbi Grey
- Thomas Sadoski as Paul
- Michiel Huisman as Jonathan
- Kevin Rankin as Greg
Based on the true story of Cheryl Strayed, who embarked upon a self-reflective journey to get her life back on track, Wild is a quietly stirring film that unfolds quite beautifully and gains excellence from a physically enduring performance from Reese Witherspoon.
We pick up with one Cheryl Strayed in 1995; a young woman hiking 1,100 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mojave Desert to the Washington-Oregon border. Through flashbacks, we get to glimpse Cheryl’s life up to this point and what drove her to embark on this journey. The biggest event is the death of her beloved mother Bobbi, who always retained a positive outlook on life even when the odds were stacked against her. Her death subsequently left a hole in Cheryl’s life that she tried to fill with drug abuse and promiscuity. This had a knock on effect on her marriage to Paul, which ultimately ended in divorce when he couldn’t get through to her. Now on the journey, despite a lack of experience in hiking, Cheryl is attempting to forgive herself and come to terms with what her life has become after it fell completely apart. The journey she takes is one of both mental and physical anguish; her shoes are too small, she doesn’t have all the right materials and being a novice at hiking is not exactly helpful to her in the arduous voyage. Though she considers at various stops giving up because of how harsh and painful the journey is, something ultimately pulls her back and with the people she encounters, Cheryl grows stronger and finally begins to take stock of everything she has been through and the ways in which her travel will change her.
Films where characters go on journeys of self-discovery and change can often come off as saccharine and clichéd. Wild is thankfully not one of those films as it retains a natural quality that keeps it rooted in emotion and feeling throughout, without needing to go for big scenes of drama. Jean-Marc Vallée gives deep drops of intimacy to the proceedings through expressive close-ups and having Cheryl’s experience link to her past. He also isn’t afraid to show the darkness of Cheryl’s life in detail, where other films would shy away from doing so in order to keep something of a nice vibe. We are given the chance to witness Cheryl’s life, warts and all, and can really understand why she would want to just get away from all of it. Wild in itself is something of a contained story, which might seem strange as it is about a long trek, but what I mean is that the story is largely Cheryl’s and how events have impacted on her and her growth along the way. The film eschews bellowing histrionics for rumination and nuance( thanks to the assured direction of Jean-Marc Vallée and sensitive Nick Hornby script-which brings sprinkles of heart and small bits of humour to the film), which stand Wild in good stead as we gain a significant understanding of Cheryl through the flashbacks presented. And talking of flashbacks, the way they are placed within the narrative is seamlessly done and never becomes confusing as to which time frame we are in. From a visual standpoint, Wild is a lovely looking film, particularly at showing both the beauty and harshness of nature in the wilderness that can be very unpredictable. There are those out there who will sniff at Wild and say that not a lot happens within the story and that it isn’t anything particularly new. This is to miss the subtlety at work as everything is rooted in something of a realness that grows on you as the film continues. Quite a lot happens within the film, it just transpires in small vignettes of triumphs and tests that Cheryl must go through and endure to fully get herself together again. There are a few niggles in the narrative that slow it a bit, yet these are few and far between, as Wild stays on a relatively equal and level footing thanks to the talent both behind and in front of the camera. Music is used in a most complimentary fashion that joins together moments from the past with the present in Cheryl’s reveries.
Wild’s ace in the pack is Reese Witherspoon in a revealing performance that carries a large chunk of the film on her shoulders. She keeps Cheryl grounded in the long run of the story but also delves with nuances, into the wealth of emotional turmoil that still haunts her. I admired the way that Reese Witherspoon showed off a very different side to herself in this film; she really made the part feel organic and natural from the very first moment we glimpse her. She gives an authentic, raw and fearless energy to the part that displays Cheryl as flawed but still relatable to the audience as we understand her sadness and want her to succeed. It has to stand as one of her best performances, as it is mightily impressive watching her reflect and react to the things that have been thrown her way, both mentally and physically. Supporting Witherspoon is the lovely work from Laura Dern as her mother, largely seen in flashback. Dern projects such a ray of sunshine to the film that you can see why Cheryl would go into a real tailspin as her lifeline of happiness is gone. Thomas Sadoski is well cast as Cheryl’s ex who still tries to be of help to her, even after their divorce. Michiel Huisman and Kevin Rankin each play people Cheryl meets a long the way, and who each give her something to spur her on.
The odd wandering bit of film can be forgiven as Wild wisely retains a modesty and reflection that makes for a subtle yet moving film, headed by a commanding and committed Reese Witherspoon, in one of her best roles.
Keith said:
I never saw this one. I know Reese got a lot of love but I read some mixed feelings on the movie itself. I should give it a watch.
LikeLiked by 1 person
vinnieh said:
I think it is good to watch a movie and make your own thoughts. I love reading reviews and seeing what people think, but I like to watch something and see it for myself so I can give my thoughts. Does that make sense Keith?
LikeLike
Keith said:
It does. I generally do that. I tend to have a pretty firm impression to start with. If I’m lukewarm or worse negative reviews can sway me to push the movie back a bit.
LikeLiked by 1 person
vinnieh said:
I’ll watch just about anything, but if something sounds pretty bad, I’ll usually give it a miss.
LikeLiked by 1 person
beetleypete said:
I read a lot about this at the time, but the subject matter never grabbed me. To a large extent, it still doesn’t. Maybe if it’s on TV one night, I will give it a go. But only for Reese.
Cheers mate, Pete.
(Talking of Wild, add an ‘E’ and try this one, if you haven’t seen it. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120514/
Fry is amazing, perfect for the role.)
LikeLiked by 1 person
vinnieh said:
I was taken by surprise by this movie. I wasn’t sure I’d like it, but it grew on me.
LikeLike
alexraphael said:
That may well be how I would feel about this movie.
LikeLiked by 1 person
vinnieh said:
Good movies have that impact I’ve noticed. Nothing like when something grows on you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Jason said:
Nice review. I remember when this movie came out, but I never got a chance to see it. Might have to check it out and possibly review it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
vinnieh said:
I too remember hearing of it on release and missing it in cinema. Glad to finally watch the film as it was a very good one. Reese Witherspoon was particularly great.
LikeLiked by 1 person
By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Hmm. I wasnt going to bother with this after reading some of the mixed reviews, but after reading yours Vinnie, maybe I will give it a try.🤔
LikeLiked by 1 person
vinnieh said:
Always happy to inspire others to watch movies they may have not considered watching.
LikeLiked by 1 person
turntabletalk said:
I loved this book. I’m not a huge Witherspoon fan, but perhaps I should give the movie a try.
LikeLiked by 1 person
vinnieh said:
Witherspoon may just surprise you in this film, as she is totally different from how we are used to seeing her.
LikeLike
Haylee said:
Was a fan of this film – I quite like quiet contemplative films or anything ‘survival’ based. Also big fan of Witherspoon, probably because we share a birthday!
LikeLiked by 1 person
vinnieh said:
The contemplative nature and how her memories were sparked by the journey made for a stirring movie. And Witherspoon was outstanding as Cheryl.
LikeLiked by 1 person
gruadacreations said:
I have not seen this movie yet! Sounds good. Thanks for Sharing
LikeLiked by 1 person
vinnieh said:
If you like a true story that is ho est and stirring, you can’t go wrong with this film.
LikeLike
vanbytheriver said:
I loved this movie, and the story and author behind it. Cheryl Strayed wrote/spoke anonymously in a Web-based advice column called “Dear Sugar”. I have started a post about a few of her words, very insightful. ☺
LikeLiked by 1 person
vinnieh said:
It was a very inspiring story and I felt really sympathetic to Strayed. I’ll have to give those posts of yours a gander.
LikeLiked by 1 person
vanbytheriver said:
The Strayed one…still not published. Stay tuned. ☺
LikeLiked by 1 person
vinnieh said:
I’ll have my eyes peeled.
LikeLiked by 1 person
ruth said:
Hi Vin, great review though honestly, I wasn’t um, wild about this film. Cheryl Stayed is from my state, MN, so in the screening there were lots of her friends/family members but I remember my friend and I was left sort of underwhelmed by it for some reason. Reese was good though, I agree.
LikeLiked by 1 person
vinnieh said:
I don’t think it’s a movie for everyone Ruth. You can’t like them all that’s what I always say. Good you agree about Reese being pretty amazing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
raistlin0903 said:
Haven’t seen this movie yet, but I loved Into the Wild, a movie also dealing with a lone person in the wilderness. This movie is now pretty cheaply priced, so after reading your review I think I will add it to my collection 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
vinnieh said:
Into the Wild has now entered my films to watch list. Thank you for the reminder.
LikeLiked by 1 person
fragglerocking said:
I think I’d like to see it for the scenery of nothing else!
LikeLiked by 1 person
vinnieh said:
Oh you’re in for a treat with the scenery. From mountains to desert, woods to rivers, it’s all rendered to stunning levels of beauty.
LikeLiked by 1 person
fragglerocking said:
OK! I’m convinced.
LikeLiked by 1 person
vinnieh said:
Whoever did the cinematography and location work deserves a large slice of credit.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Annelise Lestrange said:
I love Reese and this movie sounds awesome from your review, but I don’t think I’d have the patience to watch it =( I don’t really like self-discovery themed movies and books, overall, oops! Hahaha
LikeLiked by 1 person
vinnieh said:
I’m sure Reese will make it worth your while.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Annelise Lestrange said:
She usually does, haha! ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
vinnieh said:
She’s a highly talented and likeable actress,
LikeLiked by 1 person
ninvoid99 said:
I do like this film a lot as this is the best thing Reese has done since Walk the Line. She needs to do more films like this.
LikeLiked by 1 person
vinnieh said:
I like seeing Reese Witherspoon in dramas, she is just as effective as when she is in comedies. I too hope she does more films like this in the future. I love her an actress and look forward to her next project.
LikeLike
Moody Moppet said:
Great movie. I really loved Witherspoon’s performance. Extremely convincing. Isn’t it just an odd coincidence that her character’s last name is Strayed (stray)? She kind of strays into the Wild. Anywho, awesome review, V.
LikeLiked by 1 person
vinnieh said:
She embodied the part with an authenticity and naturalness. I too thought that her surname was very appropriate.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Moody Moppet said:
Funny surname. I didn’t want this movie to end at all. I felt like I was in this journey with her.
LikeLiked by 1 person
vinnieh said:
It’s one of those movies that really grows on you with subtlety rather than melodrama. The way that the film was shot positioned us from a sympathetic vantage point of Cheryl and right in her headspace.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Moody Moppet said:
Very true. I’m not a big Sheryl fan nor a fan of journey film, but this movie just did it for me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
vinnieh said:
It’s nice when a film surprises you. I love that experience.
LikeLiked by 1 person
keepsmealive said:
Knew this existed, but haven’t been too fussed to see it. Maybe some day!
LikeLiked by 1 person
vinnieh said:
This film may surprise you.
LikeLike
beerenitynowdoug said:
Such a fucking great movie
LikeLiked by 1 person
vinnieh said:
I can’t argue with you there.
LikeLiked by 1 person
filmsCine said:
I’m a big Reese Witherspoon fan. Not seen this movie yet, though. Great review. I think I’m gonna do a Cheryl Stayed and go off on some travels again soon.
LikeLiked by 1 person
vinnieh said:
A travel is always a nice thing to do.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Chris said:
Sometimes a change from what we are used to is what we need, and I agree Witherspoon is great here. It isn’t an important scene, but my favorite moment from Wild is when they sing out loud the catchy 90s song “What’s Up” by 4 Non Blondes , so as prank that guy on the walk. It
LikeLiked by 1 person
vinnieh said:
Yeah, I think everyone can in some way relate to the feeling of wanting to get away and find a purpose. That scene was pretty good and had a nice slab of humour to the film.
LikeLike
Vikas Acharya said:
Reblogged this on Journal Edge.
LikeLiked by 1 person
jwforeva said:
Wild is so very underrated. I noticed your past few reviews have been on movies in the past year or two which brings about some memories for me 🙂 I enjoyed the whole experience honestly, there was something so natural and organic about Wild, it’s as if you’re encouraged to find yourself after watching it. Made my top 10 for 2014!
LikeLiked by 1 person
vinnieh said:
I have been checking out movies from the past few years that I missed, thought it was the time to get my ass in gear. Naturalism and heart where what made this movie for me, it had a raw honesty permeating from it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
abbiosbiston said:
It has to be mentioned that the scenery throughout the film is so beautiful that it actually made me contemplate going on a hike for fourteen whole seconds before I remembered that I hate being wet/dirty/hot, sleeping outdoors, nature and bears.
LikeLiked by 1 person
vinnieh said:
The scenery is particular breathtaking here. Not that you’d catch me going on a hike like the one depicted.
LikeLike