Wild

There is a rite of passage in Native American culture called a vision quest; it's both an internal and external journey, in which a person leaves the tribe to spend time alone in the wilderness. Parted from civilization, the individual is forced to reflect on her life and commune with the vast forces of nature. The goal of this expedition is discover one's self-identity, one's purpose or destiny in life.

"Wild" is about just such an expedition, but because a vision quest is such an intensely personal excursion, it is very difficult to make it into a compelling story. One person walking by herself for a thousand miles doesn't seem like the basis for a compelling drama. To pull this off the filmmakers incorporate exposed, gritty acting; sharp editing; a flashback-filled, almost impressionistic, narrative; and astounding nature photography, adapting a contemplative book into a transformative movie.

In 1995, Cheryl Strayed (Reese Witherspoon) set out to walk the 1100 mile Pacific Crest Trail with a 70-pound backpack and a need for change in her life. She'd just left her marriage and lost her mother, she had self-destructive sexual relationships and flights of drug abuse. She had no home, no family, no job and no bank account. At the end of her solo trek her situation was exactly the same, but her attitude, and indeed her world, was profoundly changed.

Academy Award-nominated performances from Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern set this film apart, especially, the tenacious, athletic and heartfelt efforts of the lead. The award-winning writer of the novels "High Fidelity" and "About a Boy," Nick Hornby, does much to humanize Strayed's memoir, "Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail." But it is truly the immense natural landscapes and bold editing choices by director Jean-Marc Vall�e (Dallas Buyers Club) that puts the audience into Strayed's shoes.

Meet "The Real Cheryl Strayed" in the special features of this Blu-ray disc, along with a look at the filmmakers' experiences scouting for the movies majestic locations. For a more linear experience, viewers can move from scene to scene on a "Pacific Crest Trail Interactive Map," and the deleted scenes should be watched with the audio commentary from the director which also accompanies the film.

"Wild"
Blu-ray
Rated R / 115 min.
www.foxsearchlight.com/wild