By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 5 cats
Director: Jean-Marc Vallée
Starring: Gaby Hoffman | Keene McRae | Laura Dern | Michiel Huisman | Reese Witherspoon | Thomas Sadoski
Country: united_states
Year: 2014
Running time: 115
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2305051/combined
Thom says: “I’d noticed the Cheryl Strayed account of her 1,100 mile solo hike on the Pacific Coast Trail in 1995 atop or near the top of national Best Seller lists (It’s still #4 on the New York Times Paperback Nonfiction Best Seller list after 115 weeks, longer than it took her to walk the often treacherous terrain). Strayed (nicely played by Witherspoon, perhaps her strongest performance yet) had been through a number of catastrophes including losing her mother (Oscar nominated Laura Dern, will she ever win?), dissolution of her troubled marriage, drug and sloppy sex problems. So she took off on her positive quest with an enormous number of obstacles to overcome and for her to succeed she had me cheering from beginning to end. While nothing terribly threatening or even dramatic happens on her long trek her changing of character is splendidly portrayed. The film was most spectacularly edited and clearly understands the need for appropriate cuts. So many films are made with pasts & presents (with the occasional futures) that are too haphazard to draw us in, but it’s perfectly done here. When I came off my terrible addiction I made a goal to read works by every winner of the Nobel Prize and by God, it’s turned the trick for me having read Sully Prudhomme who was the first winner in 1901 through Bertrand Russell in 1950. So while certainly not able quite to relate to Strayed in a physical accomplishment, intellectually it’s been a great match.
“Director Jean-Marc Vallée has often scored high with me with C.R.A.Z.Y., LOSER LOVE, THE YOUNG VICTORIA, CAFE DE
FLORE & DALLAS BUYERS CLUB, but this was his first highest rated film. Also, of special note is the smaller performance from the incredibly handsome and sexy Michiel Huisman, a Dutch actor who has owned television’s outstanding series leads in Treme, Orphan Black, Nashville, & Game of Thrones. He’s terrific here as well and look for him to get impressive film roles in the near future. 5 cats”