Kodie Bird True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

Myron Clemons A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.

Lidia Draper Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

Hattie I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

WubsTheFadger Short and Simple Review by WubsTheFadgerThe acting is great throughout the entire film. Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern both do an exceptional job at portraying their respective characters. The characters themselves are deep and well thought out. Reese Witherspoon, in particularly, does a great job at playing a character that is broken and wants to be fixed.The story is really good. There are moments that are uplifting and moments that are hard on the heart. It is a story about redemption and finding peace in being human. The story is easy to follow and has some heavy moments throughout.The scenery is amazing. The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) is an amazing location. As the movie progresses, you get to see different landscapes and scenery.For me, there was a good amount of nudity in the film that could have been avoided. I think they could have implied the sexual acts without showing them. I do like seeing Reese naked, but some of the scenes did not need to be in the film.The ending is good but it left me wanting more. I wanted a stronger realization.Pros: Great acting, deep characters, compelling story, some emotional impact, and amazing sceneryCons: Some needless nudity and needed a stronger sense of realization Overall Rating: 8.3/10P.S. If you enjoyed this film, you might also enjoy Into The Wild. Into The Wild is one of my all time favorite films. It is very similar to this film but has, in my opinion, a stronger ending in terms of realization.

gm-99745 The only reason I gave it 1 is because I can't score it under 0. Can you believe it? Hollywood decided to make a film about, a woman behaving like a prostitute and in real life the actual woman who done it, in her interview she said, it was a spiritual journey for her. Yeah by sleeping around with so many men.. Is that a spiritual journey for you??? This world is so full of filth and disgust and Hollywood encourages it by making these kind of films. And to Reese Witherspoon: Really?? You couldn't choose to make another film instead of that garbage? Anyway, I guess it does say a lot about a person about his/her choices that makes.

Screen_Blitz Reese Witherspoon is not an actress typically known for taking on serious roles, with most of her filmography dealing with comedies. Although the actress has had a few non-comedic roles in the past, most of them are not well remembered by this point. This biopic based on the emotionally riveting memoir by Cheryl Strayed, a woman who set out on a life-changing journey in 1995, grants Witherspoon with the grand opportunity to expand upon her acting muscles and expose a rarely open area in her talent. It is a biopic centered on a woman plaguing with tragedy, grief, hope, and redemption; and the story follows as this woman ventures on a quest at puts her physical and emotional stability to the test. Although the film may not reach the heights of cinematic mastery in terms of storytelling nor does it strike for anything special, there is plenty of talent to be witness in its near two- hour runtime. Directed by Jean-Marc Vallee, this movie follows the true story of Cheryl Strayed (played by Reese Witherspoon), a twenty-something year old woman strained by her rocky marriage with her husband Paul (played by Thomas Sadoski) and troubled by her dark past including the death of her mother (played by Laura Dern). Searching for hope, Cheryl sets out on an 1,100 mile hike from Minneapolis, Minnesota to Oregon where she discovers her inner being, while placing herself in path that will put on a physical and emotional endurance. The story of Cheryl Strayed is fascinating, especially when he brings up memories of the Chris McCandless story (whether you read the biography or watched the film 'Into the Wild') which took place just a few years prior to the events in this biopic. The film however, is not empty of dull moments which are likely to alienate viewers with low patience. The story here focuses on a woman who put herself on a collision course with self-discovery in attempt to tear away from her harrowing past which involved her abusive father, the untimely death of her mother, and her failed marriage. Along the way, she is forced to deal with the punishing atmosphere of the deserts while suffering from the scarcity of food and water. The story is frequently intertwined with flashbacks showcasing the happy days and dark days of her past, a storytelling method opens up to both the best and the worst of Nick Hornby's screenplay. While the flashbacks of her past greatly contribute to the three-dimensional construction of her character as well as the emotional backbone, the editing of these scene transitions can occasionally serve as a burden to the pacing. Director Jean-Marc Vallee keeps things moving, but at a slow momentum. Luckily, this does nothing to take away from the uncompromising performance by Reese Witherspoon. The actress shines in the role with astounding emotional resonance as well as exercising both of her physical and emotional range. Regardless of whether she is likable or not, it is hard not to sympathize with the heartbreak she suffers from and hopes of escaping her life of pain. Witherspoon's performance greatly pays off when she is sharing the screen with Laura Dern who is stupendous in the role of her late mother, who's screen time is limited in flashbacks. The relationship between the two shoots for an absorbing emotional spark that greatly fits the bill, and when the story dives into her death and the grief that follows, it safely avoids the pitfalls of sentimental contrivance. Now don't feel like this movie is a thing of darkness, there are some happy moments to be sparred. Wild is a poignant, yet inspiring biographical drama that shines with an riveting performance by its lead starlet and benefits with touching the heart with its powerful story. The film is not set to impress nor fascinate everyone, particularly those who are more inclined to faster-paced stories or something less melancholy. Nonetheless, it is filled with talent that should not be ignored.

Geoffrey DeLeons I agree with Tom Berraras' review, but not his three star rating for Wild.This is a story that deserves to be told, and it was told well. Reese proved right for the part. What I liked most about the movie was it's refusal to candy-coat neither the "earlier" part of her life, nor the hike-segment experiences. The movie was from an auto-biography, so it apparently stayed close to the original illustration.What I would have like to have seen were 1.) A few minutes on scenes that showed what went through her mind when she chose to do the Pacific Coast Trail. How did her friends and family react? How did she make her gear selection/purchases? Also, some more inner dialogue along the Trail would have been good.There was some, and I recognize this, but there must have been some thoughts/feelings that were relatively cheerful/positive that propelled and sustained her on her journey. We see, instead, mostly recollections of negative past experiences.All-in-all, this is a memorable movie and one well-worth watching. It takes very few dramatic liberties, but instead is a sometimes-hard look at the life of one emotionally wounded person and her search for the unconditional joy that her mother offered her.Some more exploration of the evolution of the inner person would have been helpful, but I enjoyed Wild very much.