--- title: "Wild" year: 2014 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/wild" fi1m_score: 70 critics_score: 73 critics_reviews: 27 published: "2026-09-17T12:31:04.116102+00:00" updated: "2026-09-17T12:31:30.306261+00:00" region: "US" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Wild (2014) Directed by Jean-Marc Vallée · 1h 55m · MPA R · Drama **Fi1m score: 70** · Critics 73 from 27 reviews *In a sentence:* Reese Witherspoon walks eleven hundred miles to get away from Laura Dern, who turns out to be the best thing in the film > Jean-Marc Vallée’s account of Cheryl Strayed’s long walk is plain, patient and honest about how badly she prepared for it. Witherspoon carries it, Laura Dern steals it in a handful of flashbacks, and only a habit of over-explaining lets it down. ## Synopsis Summer 1995. Cheryl Strayed (Reese Witherspoon), recently divorced and not long off heroin, sits on a motel bed in Mojave, California, beside a rucksack she cannot lift. She means to walk the Pacific Crest Trail alone, eleven hundred miles north through desert and mountain to the Oregon–Washington border, with no training. Her mother Bobbi (Laura Dern) has died of cancer; her brother Leif (Keene McRae) has drifted; her marriage to Paul (Thomas Sadoski) ended in her own affairs. The first days bring blisters, heat, the wrong fuel for her stove, a farmer called Frank (W. Earl Brown) offering a lift and a hot meal, and Greg (Kevin Rankin), a hiker who has done everything she has not. Memories of Bobbi keep interrupting. ## Review In the summer of 1995 Cheryl Strayed walked eleven hundred miles of the Pacific Crest Trail and afterwards wrote a book about it that a great many people read. Jean-Marc Vallée’s film, from a screenplay by Nick Hornby, puts Reese Witherspoon in the boots and Laura Dern in the memories and gets on with it. *Wild* is a good, plain, decent-hearted film about grief and walking, more honest than most of its kind, and it is worth your evening. Its one real fault is a habit of telling us what it has already shown. The trick of the thing is in the cutting. Vallée edits with Martin Pensa, and they treat memory the way it behaves: a line of dialogue arrives before the picture it belongs to, a face from home flashes up in the middle of the desert and is gone, a song starts in Cheryl’s head and stops the moment she notices it. The only music is scraps she hums, and the film cuts them off as abruptly as she does. Yves Bélanger shoots handheld in available light, so the desert is bleached and hard at midday and the Oregon forest is grey-green and wet, and he never pulls back for the postcard when a shot of a blistered heel will do. John Paino’s best contribution is the rucksack, so tall and overstuffed that Cheryl has to sit on the floor, strap herself in and roll onto her knees to stand up. Witherspoon, who also produced, plays Cheryl without the usual armour. She is sunburnt, sweat-stained and frequently frightened, and the film is candid about what a woman alone on a trail is frightened of: every man she meets, from the farmer Frank (W. Earl Brown) who offers a lift to a pair of hunters later on, is a threat until he proves otherwise, and the film makes us wait for the proof each time. She is also frequently ridiculous, buying the wrong fuel for her stove and eating cold mush for days, and Witherspoon lets the ridiculousness stand. Kevin Rankin’s Greg, the competent hiker who keeps turning up ahead of her, is the film’s quiet joke about how little she prepared. Then there is Dern. Bobbi Grey is on screen for perhaps twenty minutes, in fragments, and she is the reason the film works. There is a memory of her in the kitchen of a house with no money in it, singing while she cooks, and Cheryl, home from college and cruel in the way only a daughter can be, asks how she can possibly be so happy. Dern’s answer, and the face she gives it with, moved us far more than we expected. It moved us because Dern plays Bobbi not as a saint but as a woman who has decided, against the evidence, to be cheerful, and who knows exactly what the decision costs her. Every later shot of Cheryl on the trail carries that kitchen with it. Hornby’s script is at its best when it is not explaining. The trail-register device, in which Cheryl signs each stop with a line from a writer she loves, is charming the first time and a reading list by the fourth. The men on the trail arrive in a suspiciously tidy order, each carrying his lesson like a water bottle. A fox appears, and appears again, and we could feel the film wanting us to make something of it. The pictures had told us what the walk meant; the script keeps stepping in to say it again, and we were irritated on its behalf. Vallée made [*Dallas Buyers Club*](https://film.one/film/dallas-buyers-club) the year before, in the same handheld, natural-light, no-fuss manner, and the two films share a virtue: neither is interested in making its subject nice. Cheryl’s heroin and her adulteries are shown without a wince and without a flourish. See it, then, for Dern, for the cutting, and for a lead who has agreed to look tired for 115 minutes. It carries a 15, for the drugs and one grim motel scene, and it plays well at home, where the sound design that does half the memory work is easier to hear. *Fi1m score 70, published 17 September 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics come away won over, and the praise gathers almost entirely around Reese Witherspoon. Review after review calls the performance raw and unvarnished, a deliberate step away from the roles she is known for, and several name it among her best. Laura Dern, seen only in flashback as the mother, is singled out nearly as often, and a few think she leaves the stronger impression. Nick Hornby’s script is credited with wit and a refusal of easy sentiment, and Jean-Marc Vallée’s fragmented cutting between trail and memory is generally admired. The reservations gather around that same fragmentation. The Playlist finds the flashbacks repetitive and manipulative, Slant thinks Vallée is outmatched by his material, and The New Yorker calls the film literal-minded rather than poetic. Time Out alone considers Witherspoon miscast. Little White Lies goes furthest, dismissing the whole thing as synthetic and calculated. The spread is wide, though the dissenters are few. ### Reviews we read (27) - **Los Angeles Times**, Betsy Sharkey (90/100, inferred): Vallée and Hornby balance the inner and outer journeys while Witherspoon delivers a raw, emotionally naked performance. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-wild-review-reese-witherspoon-20141203-column.html) - **Variety** (90/100, inferred): Witherspoon delivers her finest performance in years in this ruggedly beautiful saga of perseverance and self-discovery. [Read](https://variety.com/2014/film/festivals/telluride-film-review-reese-witherspoon-in-wild-1201294437/) - **Vulture** (85/100, inferred): The critic praises the remarkably fluid fragmentation of memories and the trail journey, along with Witherspoon's edgy, brainy performance that captures the character's self-centered processing of trauma. Strong supporting turns and an appealing take on women's liberation stories round out the positive verdict. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/2014/12/movie-review-wild.html) - **Screen Daily** (80/100, inferred): A thoughtfully rugged awards vehicle for Witherspoon that makes great use of striking locations and a resonant script; her excellent performance anchors the inner journey alongside the physical trek. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/wild/5077986.article) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, Stephen Farber (80/100, inferred): The critic praises the film as a vivid wilderness adventure and powerful story of family anguish and survival, highlighting Witherspoon and Dern's performances and the honest mother-daughter portrayal. The fractured storytelling is handled well, making it compelling despite being episodic. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/wild-telluride-review-729047/) - **Empire**, Nev Pierce (70/100, inferred): The film is a quietly moving coming-of-age story that resists formula or easy redemption. It is driven by a strong, unvarnished performance from Witherspoon. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/wild-3-review/) - **Evening Standard**, Charlotte O'Sullivan (70/100, inferred): Nick Hornby's adaptation is heavy on wit and gross-out moments. Witherspoon is incredible in the lead role. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/wild-film-review-reese-witherspoon-is-incredible-9982131.html) - **Film Comment**, Jared Eisenstat (70/100, inferred): The film follows Cheryl Strayed on her solo hike of the Pacific Crest Trail as she grapples with personal demons and memories of her mother. Vallée directs Witherspoon in a role against her usual type as a self-destructive woman seeking redemption in the wilderness. [Read](https://www.filmcomment.com/article/review-wild-reese-witherspoon-jean-marc-vallee/) - **The Guardian** (70/100, inferred): The film is a lean, energetic adaptation that creates a hallucinatory montage of the hike and backstory. It feels like a real journey despite some narrative ambiguity. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/sep/09/wild-a-two-hour-hallucinatory-montage-toronto-film-festival-review) - **The New York Times**, A.O. Scott (Critic's Pick): The film respects Strayed’s free-associative narrative and reveals that images and emotions can carry meaning more effectively than conventional plotting. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/03/movies/wild-stars-reese-witherspoon.html) - **The Times** (70/100, inferred): The film is a story of rebirth and its agonies with a raw performance from Witherspoon. It has wit and avoids excessive sentimentality. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/wild-zglmtwx588g) - **The New Yorker**, David Denby (65/100, inferred): The film has an admirable heroine and focuses on material details of the hike, but often feels literal-minded rather than poetic. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/12/08/outsiders-5) - **Radio Times**, Stephen Carty (3/5): The film has an appealing authenticity from handheld camerawork and natural light but lacks emotional weight overall, undermined by heavy-handed moments despite Witherspoon's committed performance. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-9d9rux/wild/) - **Time Out**, Joshua Rothkopf (3/5): Witherspoon is miscast as the troubled hiker, though the film succeeds more as a gender drama; Laura Dern is the soul of the film in flashback scenes. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/wild) - **Slant Magazine**, Chris Cabin (50/100, inferred): The critic finds the film efficient in its storytelling but lacking inventive visual expression from the director, who is outmatched by the material and performers. It never quite matches the blunt audacity of its title despite strong work from the screenwriter and lead actress. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/wild/) - **Little White Lies**, Trevor Johnston (4/2/2): The film is synthetic and obvious Oscar-bait, with Witherspoon overplaying her redemption arc; Laura Dern leaves the strongest impression as the mother in flashbacks. [Read](https://lwlies.com/review/wild) - **Collider**, Adam Chitwood (A-): The film is an honest and surprising chronicle of determination and rebirth, driven by Reese Witherspoon's fearless lead performance. Vallée keeps the story dynamic through confident direction and a strong script that avoids stereotypes. [Read](https://collider.com/wild-movie-review/) - **Deadline**, Pete Hammond (90/100, inferred): The critic describes the film as a magnificent hike and praises Witherspoon as being as good as she has ever been. Laura Dern's supporting performance is also highlighted as terrific. [Read](https://deadline.com/2014/12/wild-review-reese-witherspoon-cheryl-strayed-1201307798/) - **Paste**, Andy Crump (7.3): Wild is a genuine and good redemption story that probes the degradation of the flesh and the salvation of the spirit. Witherspoon delivers a remarkable, nuanced performance as a complex, self-possessed woman. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/wild) - **The Wrap** (85/100, inferred): The critic calls the film an exhilarating screen experience that avoids easy self-help tropes. Witherspoon's vulnerable and believable turn as the messy, self-destructive protagonist is singled out for praise. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/wild-review-reese-witherspoon-laura-dern-cheryl-strayed/) - **Consequence** (80/100, inferred): This is a somber and touching adaptation that emphasizes rumination over dramatization, with a showcase performance inviting viewers into the inner life of a lost young woman. Vallée's direction and editing help convey Strayed's gradual self-understanding through a patient, peaceful approach. [Read](https://consequence.net/2014/12/film-review-wild/) - **Den of Geek**, Mark Harrison (4/5): Witherspoon delivers one of her best performances as Cheryl Strayed on her grueling hike, with strong support from Laura Dern and solid direction and editing from Vallée. The result is an epic yet intimate and ultimately uplifting story of personal redemption. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/wild-review-2/) - **Digital Spy**, Stella Papamichael (80/100, inferred): Reese Witherspoon breaks out of her rom-com image with a raw, gutsy performance as Cheryl Strayed on her self-imposed purgatory hike. Vallée directs with restraint and employs dry humour alongside the emotional depth in this adaptation. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a619964/wild-review-reese-witherspoon-breaks-out-of-rom-com-rut/) - **NME**, Nick Levine (4/5): Reese Witherspoon shines as Cheryl Strayed, who hikes the Pacific Crest Trail to overcome her demons after her mother's death and a spiral of self-destruction. Nick Hornby's script keeps the redemption story gritty and avoids cheesiness. [Read](https://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews-various-artists-15881-319898) - **Eye for Film**, Jennie Kermode (75/100, inferred): The critic praises the film's immersive quality, Reese Witherspoon's committed performance, and the effective collage-style editing of flashbacks. She criticizes the script for some cheesy signposting and an unnecessary twee summation at the end. [Read](http://eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/wild-2014-film-review-by-jennie-kermode) - **HeyUGuys**, Lisa Giles-Keddie (70/100, inferred): The critic finds the film an engaging spiritual journey of self-redemption with scenic beauty and strong performances from Witherspoon and Laura Dern. She notes some calculated heartstring-pulling but overall calls it empowering and worth the journey. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/lff-2014-wild-review/) - **The Playlist**, The Playlist Staff (C-): The critic calls the adaptation well-intentioned but misguided, with manipulative and repetitive flashbacks that undermine emotional depth. She finds Witherspoon's performance respectable but not transformative and the themes clichéd and unsubtle. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/review-jean-marc-vallees-wild-starring-reese-witherspoon-has-lots-of-dirt-little-depth-20141201/) ## Details - **Director:** Jean-Marc Vallée - **Director:** Jean-Marc Vallée - **Screenplay:** Nick Hornby - **Cinematography:** Yves Bélanger - **Editor:** Jean-Marc Vallée, Martin Pensa - **Production design:** John Paino - **Costume design:** Melissa Bruning - **Producer:** Reese Witherspoon, Bruna Papandrea, Bill Pohlad - **Cast:** Reese Witherspoon as Cheryl Strayed; Laura Dern as Bobbi Grey; Keene McRae as Leif; Gaby Hoffmann as Aimee; Michiel Huisman as Jonathan; Kevin Rankin as Greg; Cliff DeYoung as Ed; Thomas Sadoski as Paul - **Runtime:** 1h 55m - **Certificate (MPA):** R - **Release (the US):** 5 December 2014 - **Genres:** Drama - **Budget:** $15 million - **Box office:** $53 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOPl8gKdmYE ## Where to watch in the US - Amazon Prime Video: rent $3.99, uhd - Apple TV: rent $3.99, hd - Amazon Prime Video: buy $4.99, uhd - Apple TV: buy $4.99, hd *Checked 2026-09-17.* Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HR, HU, IE, IL, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SI, TR, UA, US, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## Awards - Academy Awards 2015: Best Actress (nominated); Best Supporting Actress (nominated) - Costume Designers Guild Award for Excellence in Contemporary Film 2015: Costume Designers Guild Award for Excellence in Contemporary Film (nominated) ## If you liked this - *Tracks* (2013): Mia Wasikowska crosses the Australian desert with four camels and far fewer speeches. - *Into the Wild* (2007), Fi1m 78: The same continent, a young man walking out of his life, and a harder ending. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/into-the-wild.md) - *Walkabout* (1971), Fi1m 85: Roeg’s outback drifts between memory and heat much as Vallée’s trail does. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/walkabout.md) - *Dallas Buyers Club* (2013), Fi1m 75: Vallée’s previous film, shot the same plain way, about a man equally hard to like. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/dallas-buyers-club.md) - *Nomadland* (2020): Frances McDormand on the road west, grieving quietly, with real people for company. --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/wild