Reese Witherspoon gets grimy in the performance of her career.

Thank you, creepy man watching “Wild” in back of me, your snores muffled my quiet sobs.

“Wild” is a profound exploration of loss and Reese Witherspoon shines as Cheryl Strayed, a fatherless, troubled and addicted young woman coping with the sudden death of her loving mother with heroin, rampant promiscuity and self-annihilation. She fights back to redeem herself on a poorly planned 1000 mile trek through the Pacific Crest Trail. Along the way she stops torturing herself and reconciles her mistakes with a promise to heal.

I lived in the Pacific Northwest in the late 90s, the same time Cheryl searches for redemption in “Wild”. The movie nails the era with a perfect soundtrack and a good grasp on the grungy decadence and melancholy mood.

Why does it take a death for one to appreciate a parent? Why are we so cruel to our mothers? How can we stop the guilt and embrace the memories?

What a movie, what a performance.