November 07, 2025
Friday Film - Wild (2014)
If you’ve ever headed out for a big walk with just a pack and a desire for a bit of soul-healing solitude, Wild will feel like a kindred spirit.
Pub-chain heiress Reese Witherspoon (lol jk about the pubs) plays Cheryl Strayed, a woman who takes on the Pacific Crest Trail alone after life knocks her sideways, via loss. It's not a film about hiking despite an array of recognisable gear paraded throughout its 2 hour running time. It's more about someone using the outdoors and all of its extremes as an antidote to what has gone wrong in her life. Whether it's the self-inflicted breakdown of her relationship or the traumatic loss of a loved-one, the outdoors has a handy knack of presenting whichever treatment you need to help get over it. And in Wild there's a true story we can all relate to.
Pub-chain heiress Reese Witherspoon (lol jk about the pubs) plays Cheryl Strayed, a woman who takes on the Pacific Crest Trail alone after life knocks her sideways, via loss. It's not a film about hiking despite an array of recognisable gear paraded throughout its 2 hour running time. It's more about someone using the outdoors and all of its extremes as an antidote to what has gone wrong in her life. Whether it's the self-inflicted breakdown of her relationship or the traumatic loss of a loved-one, the outdoors has a handy knack of presenting whichever treatment you need to help get over it. And in Wild there's a true story we can all relate to.
The cinematography is stunning, and it really shows off why the Pacific Crest Trail is so beloved. You can almost feel the dust, the sun, the weight of the trail. But beyond the environment and the challenges nature can chuck in front of us, this film shows solitude in a positive light. Long passages feature very little in the way of dialogue yet still hold your attention.
Like all memorable movies, Wild's strength lies in its ability to reflect real-life scenarios back to us in a way we understand, whether it be the literal scenarios ("Shit, I've brought too much gear") or the spiritual benefits to be gained from reconnecting with nature and using it as a tool to rebuild yourself.
Give it a watch. You'll like it.
Like all memorable movies, Wild's strength lies in its ability to reflect real-life scenarios back to us in a way we understand, whether it be the literal scenarios ("Shit, I've brought too much gear") or the spiritual benefits to be gained from reconnecting with nature and using it as a tool to rebuild yourself.
Give it a watch. You'll like it.