Wild
Courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures and Pacific Standard
Everyone loves a good survival story. Better yet, everyone loves a story about a woman surviving. Women are often shown to be pliable, haphazard people who aren’t emotionally, as well as physically, strong enough to survive the harsh conditions of the elements. Based on Cheryl Strayed’s memoir of the same name, “Wild” delves into the psyche of a lost young woman, trying to become found.
Reese Witherspoon is an amazing actress, and I will hear nothing differently. Her roles vary between surrealist, comedic, and dramatic, and she has had a distinguished career. She tackles every role impressively, and this film is no different. The character of Cheryl Strayed is emotionally stunted after the death of her mother, who was her entire support system. After becoming addicted to heroin and engaging in random sexual encounters with strangers, Cheryl takes stock of her life and decides to trek along the Pacific Crest Trail, which is a long, arduous hike, stretching for about 1000 miles through desert and snow alike. Throughout the film Cheryl finds herself exasperated by fate, enlivened by the adventure, and depressed by the state of her life.
Most of the film is set in the wilderness, where Cheryl battles sexual predators, rain, hunger, and herself. There are also numerous flashbacks to her life before the PCT. Laura Dern was given a Best Supporting Actress nomination for this film, and she shines through the murkiness and somber setting. As a mother, with little means, her performance shows the depth of unconditional love that a parent has for their child. She is courageous in continuing her studies, and she’s always hopeful, even when she’s not. It’s a worthy performance that I think wasn’t generally seen as a frontrunner, but I respect her immensely for it. Witherspoon also gives an admirable turn as Strayed, and it’s evident that between this and “Inherent Vice,” Witherspoon deserves all the awards show accolades she received this year.
The tone shifts between the wilderness’ harsh conditions and those in her mind, and it’s done seamlessly. Screenwriter Nick Hornsby does a great job of blending together the anxiety and fears that denotes the past, and shows a mirroring in the wild. Often Strayed lets herself enjoy simple things throughout her journey: a night out, a hot shower, a meal, a male friend’s companionship. As she feels through the intense emotions of these interactions we too feel the same lucidity and comfort in them. Director Jean-Marc Valleé creates an atmosphere of constant motion without it looking shaky or overdone. He utilizes the camera in interesting ways, blending the shots as well as past and present.
Besides being an empowering film about survival, this is also a film about loss. As someone who has faced loss recently, I can say that this film kept me in awe, and made my heart swell. There’s nothing new about the concept, but in execution “Wild” proves mightier than any tale of survival that I’ve seen yet, mostly because if she doesn’t survive this wild, she may not survive the wild within.
