After her failed marriage and the loss of her mother, Cheryl Strayed is in a dark place. Her years of destructive and precipitous behavior cause her to make the decision to hike more than one thousand miles of the Pacific Crest Trail by herself. Wild illustrates the horrors and determination of one young woman’s dangerous yet strengthening journey that ultimately heals her. Cheryl, played by Reese Witherspoon, attempts to rid herself of the dark spots in her life, presented in the flashbacks to Cheryl’s drug addiction, sexual promiscuity, and abuse by her father. This film captures the fatigue and alienation that comes with travel, but the experiences that can change one’s life for the better.