Is the Movie Wild Based on a True Story? Ending Explained
by Janani
Updated May 02, 2023
Wild
Wild, released in 2014, is a biographical adventure drama movie directed by Jean-Marc Vallée and featuring Reese Witherspoon in the lead role. Laura Dern, Thomas Sadoski, Michiel Huisman, Gaby Hoffmann, Kevin Rankin, and W. Earl Brown also star in supporting roles. The film is an adaptation of Cheryl Strayed's memoir Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail, published in 2012, which chronicles Strayed's solo backpacking journey along the trail in 1995. Strayed embarked on the journey after facing several personal struggles that left her life in disarray. The screenplay was written by Nick Hornby.
After its debut at the Telluride Film Festival on August 29, 2014, Wild was released in theatres across North America on December 5, 2014. The movie was a commercial success, grossing $52.5 million against its $15 million budget and receiving favorable reviews from critics. It also earned Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern nominations for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress at the 87th Academy Awards, respectively.
Is the Movie Wild Based on a True Story?
Yes, the movie Wild is based on a true story. According to the true story behind the Wild movie, Cheryl Strayed embarked on a 94-day solo hike along the Pacific Crest Trail in June 1995, covering 1,100 miles of the 2,663-mile trail from Mojave, California, to the Bridge of the Gods on the Oregon-Washington border.
The Wild movie's screenplay, penned by Nick Hornby, largely stays faithful to Cheryl Strayed's memoir. However, there are some notable deviations, such as Cheryl's (played by Reese Witherspoon) fewer stops on the journey and fewer encounters with people. Additionally, the film omits some crucial characters, like her sister Karen and stepfather Glenn (renamed Eddie in the book). The movie also combines and rearranges some events, which was necessary to fit the two-hour runtime.
Wild Movie Plot Summary
In June 1995, Cheryl Strayed embarked on a solo 1,100-mile (1,800 km) hike of the 2,650-mile (4,260 km) Pacific Crest Trail despite her lack of hiking experience. The Wild movie portrays her journey as a reflection of her childhood and memories of her mother, Bobbi, whose death from cancer caused Cheryl to spiral into depression and resort to heroin and casual sex to cope. After destroying her marriage and undergoing an unwanted pregnancy and abortion, Cheryl decides to hike the trail in an attempt to rediscover her true self.
The film depicts Cheryl's journey starting in the Mojave Desert in Southern California, where she struggles with her stove's wrong fuel type before encountering a farmer named Frank, who helps her get the right fuel. Cheryl meets a hiker named Greg, who assists her in planning her journey from Kennedy Meadows, where a camper named Ed helps her lighten her overweight backpack and get new boots. Cheryl receives provisions from her best friend Aimee and letters from her ex-husband Paul, congratulating her on her progress.
Cheryl takes Greg's advice to avoid deep snow in the Sierra Nevada and heads to Reno, where she catches a bus to rejoin the PCT, eventually extending her trip further into Oregon. She battles the snow and walks the last 50 miles in sandals after losing one of her boots. Cheryl also goes without water for a full day before finding a muddy puddle and running away from hunters who make suggestive comments. In Ashland, Cheryl meets Jonathan and spends the night with him after he invites her to a tribute concert for Jerry Garcia. She later encounters a group of young male hikers in Mount Hood National Forest who recognize her from her quotes and poems in the hikers' record books.
One rainy day, Cheryl returns a lost llama to a young boy hiking with his grandmother, who sings "Red River Valley" to her, a song Cheryl's mother used to sing. Cheryl breaks down and cries after they leave. After 94 days, Cheryl arrives at the Bridge of the Gods on the Columbia River between Oregon and Washington, where she reflects on what she learned during her trip, with a voice-over revealing that she remarried, had a son, and had a daughter named Bobbi after her mother. Cheryl interprets a red fox that she encounters along the trail as her mother's spirit watching over her.
Wild Movie Ending Explained
After cleaning up and getting dressed, Cheryl heads to the concert, where a man buys her a drink and playfully comments on her transformation. They spend the night together, and in the morning, Cheryl calls her ex-husband Paul and leaves a message. She shares that she had written his name on the beach that morning, as she usually does, but this time she won't do it anymore.
After persevering on the trail, Cheryl finally arrives at the Bridge of the Gods. In a voiceover, she reflects on the significance of completing the hike and how it eventually led to her remarriage and having two children. She ponders whether she should regret the past mistakes that brought her to where she is in her life now.
Wild Movie Review
Reese Witherspoon has made a career out of playing strong-willed characters who overcome obstacles, such as Elle Woods in "Legally Blonde" and Tracy Flick in "Election." Despite winning an Oscar for her role in "Walk the Line," Witherspoon's career took a downturn with lackluster films like "Four Christmases" and "How Do You Know." She believes this is due to Hollywood's reluctance to showcase women over 30 as movie leads. To combat this, she procured film projects for herself and went after the rights to "Gone Girl," although she only received producer credit.
Witherspoon was determined to star in "Wild," based on Cheryl Strayed's memoir. While Witherspoon does an admirable job of portraying Strayed's journey of self-discovery, her attempts to portray a self-destructive junkie fall flat. However, the film remains engaging as Strayed hikes the Pacific Crest Trail and leaves literary-inspired scribbles along the way. Despite the occasional misstep, "Wild" ultimately leaves a positive impression on viewers.
Is the Movie Wild Based on a True Story? - FAQs
Wild is a 2014 American biographical adventure drama film.
Jean-Marc Vallée directed Wild.
Nick Hornby is the screenplay for Wild.
Reese Witherspoon played the role of Cheryl Strayed.
Laura Dern played the role of Barbara "Bobbi" Grey, Cheryl's mother.