Film Review - Wild

Long Hike To Freedom

Film: Wild

Cast: Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern,
Directed by: Jean-Marc Vallée
Duration: 1 hr 55 mins
Rating: * * 1 / 2

Based on the memoirs of Cheryl Strayed, Wild is the story of a woman who went on a considerably long hike to overcome grief and tragedy. Her experiences and adventures may have made for an interesting book (which I have not read) but it doesn’t translate into a very interesting film.

There have been films on adventures taken by people where some adventures going wrong giving a few thrills to the audience.  Directed by Jean-Marc Vallée (of Dallas Buyers Club fame) it is not easy to adapt a story where the experiences have been personal, how do you portray the self discovery of a person who spends time with nature. In the end, the screenplay resorts to a voice-over to sum Cheryl’s experiences.

She (Reese Witherspoon) decides to take a hike along the Pacific Crest Trail after a break up with her husband of seven years and after her mother’s death.  In rather dull flashbacks we are told about her past – how she was a drug addict, slept with any man she liked and had her relationship with her mother. In other words, there is precious little to sympathize with her character. The nature walk is on expected lines, she meets strangers, snakes, encounters rain and snow but since she is a willing participant in the adventure you don’t feel sorry for her.

Taking is a long solo can help you discover yourself and put things in perspective but it doesn’t necessarily make a good film. Reese Witherspoon has received an Oscar nomination for her performance but in all honesty, there is nothing extraordinary about her acting. Wild may possibly work for some who have been through similar experiences but for me it didn’t. 

Published in The Navhind Times, Goa on 22nd February 2015
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