Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern got well deserved Oscar nominations for their roles in this film. In fact, I cannot fathom how Witherspoon was denied a win.

I won't fall into the trap of comparing this film to the book. The book was the best one I read last year, and I thought it unfilmable. I was surprised at how well the film managed to capture the essential elements of the book.

The key was not the Pacific Coast Trail, but Cheryl Strayed's journey into self-discovery. The point where she fell to her knees in tears was the culmination of pain in her life, and the realization of her love for her mother.

This is definitely a film to watch more than once.

It's 1995. Cheryl Strayed (Reese Witherspoon) hikes the Pacific Crest Trail. She's a novice with an overweight pack and undersized boots. As she hikes, she's dealing with her personal demons and troubled past. Her father was a violent drunk. Her mother (Laura Dern) raised her and her brother after leaving him. Cheryl is shattered when she dies. She became a drug addict and detached. Her marriage to Paul (Thomas Sadoski) ended but he continues to be supportive.

Some may complain about the lack of a thrilling drama. That's not really the point especially if it has to stay true to her journey. It's a character study and has to judged on that level. Reese Witherspoon is doing more than stripping off the makeup. She delivers a real sense of grief and a live breathing person. Director Jean-Marc Vallée lets the performance be and not crowd it with too much. One does feel like being on the hike with her.

This is the story of Cheryl Strayed who made a trip on the Pacific trail, over a thousand yards. Reese Witherspoon is Strayed and she has been through it. If we were to look at her upbringing that leads her to this decision, we would find a broken person who has fallen under the truck, time after time. As she faces each challenge (being really unprepared for the trip, reading manuals for devices and obstacles on the way) she has flashbacks of her long suffering mother (played by Laura Dern). The mother's death led her to the lowest of the low, drugs, alcohol, promiscuity, and even pregnancy. But her mother was the rock, never faltering when things became horrible. Just as her life was looking up, she contracts spinal cancer and dies quickly. Strayed meets all the challenges and grows tremendously along the way. There are threats around every corner and she expresses her fears and concerns at every juncture. At one point, a couple of bow hunters get assistance from her, but their threatening presence is incredibly intense. She is rightfully afraid, but manages to keep her feet under her. She often has feet of clay, but she manages to somehow avoid defeat. Acting performances are good across the board, but at times seem contrived. Still it's a very good character study.