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Getting 'Wild'

In "Wild" (R), an adaptation of Cheryl Strayed's 2012 memoir, Oscar-nominated Reese Witherspoon delivers an admirably restrained, unglamorous performance as the author, who at age 26 hiked 1,110 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail in a ritual of physical endurance, philosophical reflection and spiritual cleansing. Grieving the loss of her mother and her marriage, Strayed sets out impulsively and alone. The particulars of her life — her fraught relationship with her mother (Laura Dern, also Oscar-nominated), her heroin use and extramarital affairs — come into focus via flashbacks. Relying on the kindness of strangers, Strayed eventually reenters the world.

Washington Post