Greetings,
I've always been on the fence about the movie Into the Wild. I've never been sure if I liked it or not. I mean, it has its moments, mostly thanks to Vince Vaughn and Hal Holbrook, but then, it has some problems for me. There's the Sean Penn factor for one thing, which always knocks off points in my book. Sorry. Not a fan. And I'm also not a fan of some of the cast. Again, even the lead, I'm not sure about all the time. Worst of all, I hate the way that the guy who was the subject of this film has become a folk hero of sorts, to the point where people have emulated him, nearly to a fault. Look, you wanna live off the land, go for it. But doing it exactly as he did is evidently not the best idea. So, where can I get a movie similar to that with a lead character who I can get behind a bit more? Oh, hello, Wild.
That's right. The 2014 film Wild is basically a looking-glass land reflection of Into the Wild, in my opinion anyway. And I really like this better than that. Maybe it's because I'm a girl.
Anyway, Wild is based on the 2012 memoir of Cheryl Strayed, played by Reese Witherspoon, and her life-changing journey. That journey, by the way, is both metaphorical and quite literal since it is about her quest to hike the Pacific Crest Trail, which is, I kid you not, nearly 2700 miles long. Whaaaa...? I mean, I've walked to the store. I've walked around the mall. I've even walked around Disney World and New York City. But...WOW! Okay, yeah, she didn't walk it all in one day. In fact, it took her over three months, but still. And this is apparently a thing that many people have done. They even have these little stops along the trail where people can write things down, which is an ongoing part of the film. One of my favorites actually.
So, is that it? Just a woman walking around outside? Of course not! On her journey, she meets many interesting people who help her or maybe harm her, and much of the story is told in flashback. I know, I know. But it's done well here. We get scenes of Cheryl's life with her ex-husband, as well as her struggles with drug addiction. But some of the most powerful stuff has to do with her mother, played by Laura Dern, who is dealing with her own harsh experience in those times. And, before you ask, no, they did not get a younger actress to play teenage Cheryl. Why would they when Reese still looks like she's about ready to get her learner's permit? That's a compliment, by the way. But, as much as I admittedly do not trust the Oscars, these scenes will make you realize why those two ladies got nominations. They were fantastic together.
Like I said, the structure of this story, with the "present day" scenes and the flashbacks, is done masterfully. They did it in a way so that, as soon as you needed a break from whatever intense thing was happening, you got a change of pace. All the juxtaposition work was great, and it really let it sink in what this woman had been through, how this journey was affecting here, where she had been and where she was going.
Okay, spoiler time...a little. I have to talk about the end, I mean and how it differs from the aforementioned Into the Wild. Oh, I guess spoilers for that movie, too. Everyone gone who wants to be gone? Okay. So, the end of Into the Wild, to me, was a total downer. I mean, for crying out loud, this guy who you've spent two hours with is just gone. It's kind of depressing. Again, just my opinion, but I personally didn't feel very uplifted or inspired by that ending. I'm not saying you always have to be, but it seems like they wanted me to be. Wild, on the hand, ended on such a note of hope, which is what I love. Cheryl had gone through the lowest of lows, but came out on top, again, metaphorically and literally. You just feel so good when this film draws to a close. Like I said, not all movies have to do that, but when it's being sold as something of an inspirational story, it's probably a good idea to do that.
So, to wrap up, I am definitely recommending Wild to everyone. It's just a great story with some fantastic people telling it. It's tough to watch at times, especially if you can relate to some of the things that Cheryl Strayed went through, but overall, it's a wonderful experience. And that's what a movie should be - an experience. So thanks, people who made this. You get a thumbs up from me. Aren't you thrilled?
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
