How Does Reese Witherspoon’s 'Wild' Differ From the Cheryl Strayed Book? (2024)

Reese Witherspoon's 2014 Oscar-nominated performance in Wild is a heartfelt dive into the true story of international bestseller author Cheryl Strayed. Based on Strayed's 2012 memoir Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail, the film is an intimate walk alongside Cheryl (played by Witherspoon) during her 1,100-mile solo hike-to-redemption along the Pacific Crest Trail. Wild is a beautifully well-done movie, and a faithful adaptation with minor yet significant changes. Strayed's bestselling book tracks this personal journey that was a cure to a series of personal tragedies — grief of her mother's death, her divorce from "a very loving and caring husband", and the trauma she carried from her childhood.

Strayed's story looks deeply into her life, offering her thoughts on the physical and emotional struggles she went through. When it was published, many critics praised its candid honesty and Strayed's detailed descriptions of the hike and her life. Given the book's heavy reliance on internal monologue, the challenge of adapting it to the screen must have been immense. However, Jean-Marc Vallée's Wild remarkably captures the essence of Strayed's thoughts and feelings. In so doing, there are some points of departure between the two.

What's Reese Witherspoon's 'Wild' About?

Cheryl Strayed's journey in Wild is as much an internal odyssey as it is a physical challenge. Wild's plot starts in June 1995, where, without any prior experience and engulfed by catastrophe, Cheryl sets out from Minneapolis to accomplish her hiking in search of solace and redemption. Cheryl begins her audacious journey in the Mojave Desert, and soon the harsh realities of the trail quickly kick in. Her normal-size shoes become undersized due to the long, rough terrain she endures, consequently losing her toenails. She carries the wrong fuel for her stove and she is forced to survive on cold food.

Being alone on that journey provides her an opportunity to reflect on her past, particularly her strong bond with her mother Bobbi (Laura Dern), who died of cancer. Her mother's death took a toll on her, and it's a big reason she is charting the uncharted. Through flashbacks, we learn how this depression leads her into wayward attempts to numb her pain, such as discarding her best friend (Gaby Hoffman), abusing heroin, and engaging in anonymous, reckless sexual encounters that lead to her divorce from Paul (Thomas Sadoski) and a pregnancy she terminates. Wild is about overcoming obstacles and finding strength within yourself.

Wild captures Cheryl's journey by using her present walk through the wild as an introspection into her past. The film documents this journey, showcasing the difficulties she faces along the way, the acquaintances she makes that lend her a helping hand, and the threats she must overcome. The film blends the present with her past. This past is shown through flashbacks as Cheryl reflects on it with her narration. "What if I forgive myself?" She poignantly asks. Vallée's direction emphasizes the immediacy of Cheryl's journey, cutting back and forth to convey her past traumas and present struggles. The movie stays true to the spirit of Strayed's memoir but makes several changes to fit the cinematic format.​​​​

How Different Is 'Wild' From Cheryl Strayed's Memoir?

Firstly, in the movie, Witherspoon's Cheryl makes a call to her ex-husband Paul just before her hike. In the book, this is not true. Just before her departure, she resisted the urge to contact Paul. She feared revealing her relapse with heroin, a battle he had helped her overcome. Secondly, the movie shows that Cheryl had only one sibling — a younger brother named Leif. In the book, the reality is that she had an older sister called Karen. The movie also gets rid of Cheryl's stepfather (her mother's second husband, Eddie). Eddie was Cheryl's father figure, and they remained close until her mother's death. On the other hand, the movie features Cheryl's abusive biological father, who's shown in flashbacks when Cheryl was a little girl. Another aspect that the movie fictionalizes is Cheryl walking out on a therapy session. In the book, Cheryl was faithful to her numerous therapy sessions, and she never walked away from any as depicted in the movie.

But there are also some interesting wild factual depictions in Wild. Cheryl and Paul indeed got matching tattoos when they divorced to remind them of their relationship. It is also true that the two separated amicably and Cheryl's infidelity was largely to blame. The movie also accurately portrays several other key events, including her impulsive decision to throw a boot off a cliff, a chance encounter with a journalist who interviewed her while stranded, the harrowing experience of pregnancy while addicted to heroin, and the tragic absence during her mother's death.

What Do the Differences Between Cheryl Strayed's Memoir and 'Wild' Mean?

From a tonal point, while both the book and the movie provide Strayed's account of her impeccable journey juxtaposed with her tormented history, the memoir's Cheryl is more reflective. Years removed, she intricately delves into her experiences, looks inward, and processes that journey for her readers. In the book, Cheryl's thoughts and reflections provide deep insights into her psyche. Witherspoon's Wild, on the other hand, relies more on visual storytelling and flashbacks to convey Cheryl's emotional state. It keeps the book's flashback structure but makes it more cohesive. In the film, Cheryl lives in the now, often looking at her past for lessons and solutions for the present. Ultimately, the movie offers an "immediacy" feel, renting you a room in Cheryl's troubled mind as she ascends the mountain ranges.

Complementing this perceptual difference, the movie prunes away some of the secondary characters while condensing details of Cheryl's interactions. Apart from leaving out some of her family members, the movie also cuts out some of her acquaintances on the trek. This is to be expected due to movies' runtime limitations and the need for escalating events, which are not necessarily priorities in book writing. Only characters who help or are stumbling blocks in Cheryl's journey are included. The book's pacing allows for a leisurely exploration of Cheryl's journey. It provides detailed descriptions of her physical surroundings and inner turmoil.

The movie also makes a deliberate attempt to create an isolated Cheryl on the arduous hike, one whom we intimately walk alongside in the secluded wilderness. This solitude lends the film greater depth. For instance, when Cheryl briefly encounters the equally troubled little Kyle (Evan O'Toole) in the company of his reserved grandmother, and she opens up to him about her own problems, it suggests a breakthrough toward her healing. Before this encounter, Cheryl had held her problematic cards close to her chest. In the book, their encounter is stretched, and comes off as an actual meeting event where both still have a long way to go in the captivity of their unlikely similar pasts. In essence, Wild is a faithful adaptation with minimal differences in major events, including the movie doing away with some of Cheryl's close associates, but their impact on the audience is viscerally significant, even when both are masterpieces in their approach. The book offers a bigger reflective picture of Cheryl's journey, while the movie's depiction of her solitude shifts focus to her internal transformation along the way.

'Wild's Unique Cinematic Elements Elevate Cheryl Strayed's Memoir Story

Wild is not just a story of physical endurance and emotional healing; Jean-Marc Vallée's direction brings Cheryl Strayed's memoir to life in ways the book's words alone cannot. The cinematography juxtaposes the trek's stunning vast landscapes of the Pacific Crest Trail with Cheryl's solo shots, further emphasizing her solitude on the journey. When she thinks about quitting, Vallée makes Cheryl confront the progress made by having her look back at where she's come from and uses the camera to show the audience the distance she has covered on the trek. This is symbolic of her inner transformational journey as well. At that moment, the film places us not just beside her, but within her as well. We root for her to get to the end, even as we acknowledge how difficult it is. The use of handheld shots in close-ups during Cheryl's trek further emphasizes this intimate connection.

Wild's soundscape is another marvel the movie benefits from. Mirroring the wild and the woods, as well as Cheryl’s inner world, the blended use of ambiance and beautifully haunting music, notably Leonard Cohen's nostalgic piece "Suzanne", immerses us in her psychological state. Vallée goes as far as getting Cheryl to bond over music with little Kyle, where Kyle sings Cheryl a tune his mother taught him. As Cheryl sings alongside the familiar tune, she reflects on her own late mother. It's an emotional connection that we get to experience as well. Apart from the beautiful cinematic elements, Reese Witherspoon’s performance is the film's beating heart. She delivers a deeply committed portrayal of Cheryl, believably transforming into a vulnerable, resilient character. In a film where dialogue is limited, it is up to Witherspoon to show these emotions, something she does in a tour-de-force performance that got her Academy Awards recognition.

Wild demonstrates the power of visual storytelling. It breathes new life into Cheryl Strayed's poignant memoir, expanding the audience for her uplifting story that has also spawned a TV series. Jean-Marc Vallée's meticulous direction, coupled with the evocative cinematography and Reese Witherspoon's nuanced performance, deserve their flowers for viscerally capturing Cheryl's journey. While Witherspoon's movie adaptation might have a few differences from its source material, these differences do not distract, but rather are necessary for a powerful, immersive experience. Wild is a film that takes you on that improbable trek alongside Reese Witherspoon's Cheryl Strayed, one that, like the film's protagonist, you'll be happy you took.

Wild is available to stream on Hulu in the U.S.

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Wild

R

Drama

Documentary

Release Date

January 16, 2014

Director

Jean-Marc Vallee

Cast

Reese Witherspoon , Laura Dern , Gaby Hoffmann , Michiel Huisman , Thomas Sadoski , Kevin Rankin

Runtime

119