VFF Review: 'Wild' starring Reese Witherspoon

One woman takes the long, hard (and literal) road to self-discovery in Wild, Jean-Marc Vallee's adaptation of the empowering memoir by Cheryl Strayed. A book club favorite and a phenomenon inspiring millions of loyal devotees, the book caught the eye of Reese Witherspoon some years ago, planning at first to merely produce rather than star as the much-younger (at the time) Strayed, but it's to all of our benefit that she took on the role as it's easily the best she's had since her Oscar-winning performance in Walk the Line.

Penned by the great novelist Nick Hornby, who has written a book or two about personal redemption, Wild details Strayed's extraordinary 1100-mile hike along the Pacific Crest Trail, an attempt to walk herself away from a history of bad choice and personal tragedies, in hopes of finding the woman she wants to be on the other side. We've seen these kinds of stories before, in fact one very recently in Tracks, which told nearly an identical true-life tale of redemption. The two share much in common from an aesthetic and thematic standpoint, but Wild is the more complete film by far, one that bristles with emotional resonance and enlightenment.

Beginning at a moment when her journey has taken an unexpectedly precarious (and bloody) turn, the story then splits two-fold, one in the present and another mostly in flashback. And there are plenty of flashbacks; flashbacks of every kind, in fact, but all are necessary to dot the points in Strayed's life that drove her to make such an audacious decision. She's not a hiker; or at least not an experienced one, and this is a dangerous trek for those who know what they're doing. What's obvious right away is that something terrible must have happened, either to her or caused by her, that led to this. When we see her struggling to even begin the hike, literally stumbling under the weight of her gigantic backpack (nicknamed "monster" by others), we know it's just the start of an arduous ordeal that she may not walk away from.

The particulars of her past are doled out in bits an pieces, flashes of memory blurred with reality. In actuality they aren't all that hard to figure out or understand. We see her loving and forgiving ex-husband (Thomas Sadoski), who she cheated on with multiple men while on a downward spiral of heroine abuse. The root cause of her self-destruction concerns her angelic mother (Laura Dern), whom Strayed both loves and begrudges. It's a little weird to think of Dern as Witherspoon's mother considering how close they are in age, but it works because their relationship they share is closer to that of siblings than mother and daughter. Casting isn't the issue; both women are phenomenal here, in particular Witherspoon in a grueling, captivating performance as vital as anything you'll see all year.

More troublesome is the fractured narrative and redundant use of flashback that makes it difficult for the film to find a steady rhythm. It's a small price to pay for a deeper understanding of Strayed, and we come to see the extent of her self-afflicted heartache. What's even more fascinating is her attitude about the choices she's made, suggesting at one point she'd do it all over again, the drugs and the random hook-ups, not because they inform who she is now but because they were enjoyable. They did what they were supposed to do which is serve as a diversion, but if Strayed wants a future those behaviors simply can't continue. Deeper shades of her personality peek out along the way,especially during her interactions with others, who are almost exclusively men. These encounters add a tinge of danger because, let's face it, she's a woman out alone in the woods surrounded by guys who may not have seen a female in months. So much about Wild works in just the right ways that what doesn't tends to stand out. Strayed's quoting of great poets comes off as a weak attempt at profundity which we never really see in Strayed, while the occasional appearance of a spirit animal is a little too on-the-nose for a film that strives so hard to stay grounded elsewhere.

Wild is another bold effort from Vallee, who directed Matthew McConaughey to an Oscar for Dallas Buyers Club. He seems to have the touch for pulling career-defining performances out of his stars (he gave Emily Blunt her breakout role in The Young Victoria), and Witherspoon proves more than up to the task. Raw, emotionally and physically fatigued, it's great to see her in something meaningful again. She may no longer be America's sweetheart like she was years ago, but roles like this could turn that around real quick. Beautiful panoramic views aside, there's little to the cinematography truly captures the dangerous terrain Strayed must tread; Mother Nature is never the constant threat we would expect her to be. She's not much of a threat at all, really. The real battle is within Strayed, urged by others and sometimes herself to quit; the perseverance she shows is infectious and makes us want to tag along on her journey.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

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Review: 'Obvious Child' Starring Jenny Slate

"She's going to decide to keep the baby right at the end of the movie."

That's what a colleague whispered to me during writer/director Gillian Robespierre's endearing, important romantic comedy, Obvious Child, a film that has earned raves on the festival circuit. Much of the acclaim was targeted at the breakout performance of star Jenny Slate, a comedian/actress/writer with a raw, untamed comedic approach that has earned her tons of fans before, and is guaranteed to earn her more now. The reason I highlight my friend's premonition is because, despite the film's title, the charm of Obvious Child is that it doesn't go where anyone expects it to.

As budding New York stand-up comedienne Donna Stern (Slate) treats her audience to a series of filthy gags about her leaky vagina, it's clear this is not going to be some sweet and bubbly rom-com. Everything about Obvious Child, from the script to the performances, exudes honesty even when embracing conventional genre aspects. Stern is something of a mess at life but that makes for good material in her raunchy act. She gets a wealth of fresh material when a tsunami of crap crashes over her all at once; Donna's scumbag boyfriend cheats then dumps her; she loses her perfectly lazy job at the local book store; and then the rebound sex she has with nice-guy Max (Jake Lacy) results in a pregnancy. It's right here that we'd expect the film to book passage to Juno but in a novel twist, Donna decides to have an abortion. It's not treated as some wholly spectacular thing, which makes Robespierre's script all the more memorable and brave. Donna and her best friend Nellie (Gaby Hoffmann, playing normal for once), the latter experienced in such matters, have a discussion that is funny, frank, and sounds unrehearsed. In essence, it sounds like a genuine conversation about the real-life impacts of Donna's decision, and not just a stream of talking points designed to make you feel one way or another. You aren't meant to condone or reject Donna for the choice she makes, just go along with her on a messy ride full of rejection, triumphs, fear, and definitely lots of laughter.

Even if the easy shorthand of "abortion comedy" is understandable in a way, the labeling of Obvious Child as such diminishes what this movie is really about, and that's one woman trying to sort out her bizarre existence. She seems drawn to her protective, man-child father (Richard Kind) but her abrasive academic mother (Polly Draper) has clearly had an impact, mostly for the negative. Donna is a woman trying to find herself, and while she's lost there's the easy-to-please preppie Max who sees how incredibly unique she is. Audiences will see it, too, and fall in love with Donna thanks to Slate's performance. This is a game changer for Slate, an actress best known for stealing scenes on Parks & Recreation or The Kroll Show. We've never seen this fragile and human side of her before; her gift for physical comedy (the faces she makes are always perfect) and perfect timing keep the tone light. And while tackling a lead role may be new for her, Slate gets plenty of help from a reliable supporting cast of Hoffmann, David Cross, and Gabe Liedman.

All things being equal we'd be talking about Slate as a potential Oscar contender. That's how good she is and how perfectly chaotic she is in this role. But we're talking about Hollywood and Obvious Child may be too small of a movie to get the awards attention it deserves later in the year. The upside to the small amount of controversy it has faced is more people checking the film out and realizing a small film can sometimes achieve greatness.

Trav's Tip: For more on Obvious Child be sure to check out my interview with writer/director Gillian Robespierre and star Jenny Slate! 

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First Trailer for Jenny Slate's 'Obvious Child'

One of the films I heard the most about at Sundance but was unable to catch up with was Obvious Child, which stars former SNL cast member, Jenny Slate. The film began as a short by writer/director Gillian Robespierre, who began a Kickstarter campaign to get the feature version into Sundance. The plan obviously worked, and now Slate, who is already pretty great on Parks & Recreation (the few times I've seen her), is due for a breakout.

The first trailer for Obvious Child has been released, and it looks like just the right vehicle for Slate to shine in. She plays a Brooklyn stand-up comedian who draws inspiration for her material from her crazy life. So she gets a lot to work with when she's dumped, fired, and learns she's pregnant all around the same time.

Also starring Gaby Hoffmann, David Cross, and Jake Lacy, Obvious Child opens on June 6th.

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Review: 'Veronica Mars' Starring Kristen Bell

Be honest, the idea of a Veronica Mars movie is something you never thought would happen. The show was a lynchpin of the late UPN network (eventually part of CW in its final season) and it was a cult hit with a dedicated by tiny audience who loved their feisty teenaged detective, played by Kristen Bell in her defining role. When it ended after a sporadic third season, show runner Rob Thomas kept hope alive for a comeback, eventually turning to the fans to help Kickstart a big screen effort. And those fans responded in record-breaking numbers. But a crowd sourced project such as this comes with challenges, namely balancing the wants of the fans (who literally have an investment in it) with a story that doesn't simply tread old ground. Fortunately, Veronica Marsnot only recaptures everything that made the series so beloved, but it may even create some new "marshmallows" in the process.

A breezy two-minute intro recaps the series, told in Veronica's slangy vernacular. It's an effective reintroduction (or introduction for some) to the character and her various relationships built and destroyed over the years, particularly her rocky love affair with bad boy Logan Echolls (Jason Dohring). Picking up ten years after the series finale, Veronica has escaped the snake pit of upper-class Southern California town of Neptune and headed to New York to become a high-powered lawyer. She used to be one of Neptune's cool kids before her Sheriff father, Keith Mars (Enrico Colantoni) ran afoul of the town elite and got fired. He became a principled private investigator, Veronica became the Nancy Drew of Neptune, and neither won them a lot of friends. All these years later, she has no intention of ever coming home, not even for the 10-year high school reunion. But when she sees a report that Logan has been accused in the murder of his pop star girlfriend, Veronica is convinced to return and defend him.

Within minutes it's like nothing has changed, which is great for us fans but not so great for Veronica.  Her mother was an alcoholic, and a recurring theme in the series was that of addiction. The film takes this idea and uses it as the primary framework for Veronica's every move. She's addicted to this life, the danger and excitement of it. When she calls herself an "adrenaline junkie" early on, we know it to be true even as she fights against backsliding into old habits. Speaking of which, one thing she simply can't quit is Logan, and the spark between them is obvious and palpable. That causes problems with her current boyfriend, the dull as dry toast good guy "Piz" (Chris Lowell), who is waiting for her back home. Veronica hooks back up with her best friends, Wallace (Percy Daggs III) and Mac (Tina Majorino), who also find themselves roped into her investigation.

It's impossible to carry over the subtleties of every relationship in a condensed 100-minute package, but Thomas does a pretty good job of giving them to us in broader strokes. We get a sense of the deep affection and playfulness between Veronica and her father, which continues to be the central bond in the story. The love triangle, such as it is, between Logan, Veronica, and Piz may seem a bit formulaic without the benefit of watching the show and knowing the complicated back story. In general it's like the show never went off the air and everybody is just picking up right where they left off. Pretty much every major character a loyal follower would want to see makes an appearance: Weevil (Francis Capra), Dick (Ryan Hansen), Gia (Krysten Ritter), Vinnie Van Lowe (Ken Marino), and they all have key parts to play. They aren't just there for the sentimental memories, although that may be a small part of it. It's kind of unavoidable with a film like this, really.  New faces fit like a glove, with the best being Gaby Hoffmann in yet another wacko role as a suspect with an unhealthy Logan Echolls obsession.

As for the mystery itself, it suffers from the compressed time frame. Thomas is used to having full seasons to flesh out all of the key players, drop clues, toss in a few swerves. Here he's torn between servicing our need to see Veronica reconnect and properly clouding the question of Logan's innocence. Long stretches go by when the murder becomes an afterthought, and the lack of attention paid to it only underscores that it isn't really compelling, anyway.

Written by Thomas and Diane Ruggiero, the dialogue is as razor sharp and funny as ever. The characters have always sounded like they were ripped straight from the Whedon-verse, and sure enough there's a pretty hilarious Buffy reference thrown in for good measure. The best part about it is that Veronica remains one of the toughest, most original female lead characters in recent memory. As a feminist icon she stands as a shining example, and not having her on TV regularly has left a pretty big void yet to be filled. Hopefully the film does well enough that it this won't be the last we see of her, but just in case it is things are resolved neatly enough.

Cinematic fan-fiction for the show's most impassioned audience, Veronica Mars is everything fans could have hoped it would be. It's a film made for fans by fans, and that's something all us marshmallows can be extremely proud of.

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15 Actresses Deserving of Oscars Attention (But Probably Won't Get It)

I'm bored of the old guard of actresses ruling the Best Actress field every year, and this Oscar season doesn't look to be any different. In fact, most of the main Best Actress contenders skew a little bit older, and of course Meryl Streep is there for August: Osage County, apparently because she wore a lot of make-up and didn't wear out her throat screaming for two hours. Good for her. Her place in the race is assured no matter what, but this year in particular there were a wealth of great performances by women who will probably be ignored by the Academy, even though they have as much right to be there as anybody.

So what I recognized, and this will be the case for male performances too, is that most of the performances that had the greatest impact on me probably have no shot at receiving a golden statue. What they all share in common for the most part are two things: youth and opportunity. The oldest actress on my list is veteran scene-stealer Kristin Scott Thomas who gives bad mothers an even worse name in Only God Forgives. Right next to her is TV vet Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who displays in Enough Said a wit and dramatic range could have made her a big screen star. Others, like Brie Larson for Short Term 12, are under 25 and taking advantage of their first chance to play truly complex, lived-in characters. And then there are those in-between like Gaby Hoffmann, who has been acting steadily for 25 years and is only now just starting to come into her own as a blissful hippie traveler in Crystal Fairy. And yeah, a few were just extremely hot, like the crimson-haired Christa Theret in Renoir as the woman who reignited the legendary artist's passion.

What I've tried to do in each case is provide a clip to show off why these extremely talented ladies were so unforgettable. As always, feel free to weigh in with your own picks!

Waad Mohammed- Wadjda



Melonie Diaz- Fruitvale Station



 Christa Theret- Renoir



Rosario Dawson- Trance



Kristin Scott Thomas- Only God Forgives



 Veerle Baetens- The Broken Circle Breakdown




Amy Acker- Much Ado About Nothing



Berenice Bejo- The Past



Gaby Hoffmann- Crystal Fairy



 Greta Gerwig- Frances Ha



Julie Delpy- Before Midnight




Lake Bell- In a World....



Shailene Woodley- The Spectacular Now



Julia Louis Dreyfus- Enough Said



Brie Larson- Short Term 12

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Dane DeHaan Joins 'Life After Beth'; Kevin Costner In 'Midnight Delivery'; 'Veronica Mars' Adds Gaby Hoffmann

* After a lengthy delay, the horror comedy Life after Beth finally began rolling. John C. Reilly and Aubrey Plaza have been attached since the beginning, and now as production begins we're learning of one more big addition. Dane DeHaan has joined the cast, fresh off wrapping up his Harry Osborn role in The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Coming along with him is Paul Reiser (Mad About You), who will be playing DeHaan's father. The story, written and directed by Jeff Baena (I Heart Huckabees), has DeHaan as a young man who tries to continue his relationship with his girlfriend after she returns from the dead. [THR]

* Continuing the roll he's been on since playing Pa Kent in Man of Steel, Kevin Costner has now joined Midnight Delivery, co-written and by produced by Guillermo Del Toro. The film sounds an awful lot like Dwayne Johnson's Snitch, and has Costner as a father who must become a drug mule for a Colombian druglord in order to save his daughter. Brian Kirk (Game of Thrones) had been in line to direct, but he jumped ship to helm Passengers with Keanu Reeves. Neil Cross (Luther) co-wrote the script, and could be a solid candidate to step in before filming begins in the fall. [THR]

* As the Veronica Mars film heads to Comic-Con for what should be one raucous panel, show creator Rob Thomas is steady adding new faces to the cast. We already learned that James Franco would be appearing as himself, and now we can expect to see Gaby Hoffmann as new character Ruby Jetson. Hoffmann, who I'll always be fond of for movies like Uncle Buck and 200 Cigarettes, can be seen right now starring with Michael Cera in Crystal Fairy. Thomas has done a pretty good job getting all of the show's cast together, but unfortunately he couldn't work out the schedule with Leighton Meester, who played pop star Carrie Bishop for a couple of episodes. So her role has been filled by Twin Sister lead singer, Andrea Estella.

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Review: 'Crystal Fairy', Starring Michael Cera and Gaby Hoffmann

NOTE: This is an updated version of my earlier review from the Sundance Film Festival.

It's been a couple of years since Michael Cera last led a feature film, and maybe it's due to the visible way in which Scott Pilgrim vs. The World failed, but he's since been toiling away at smaller projects. Maybe it's for the best, as Cera's nice guy routine had quickly begun to wear thin, and taking on a few Indies has given him the opportunity to show a bit more edge. That's certainly the case in Crystal Fairy, a psychedelic road trip "comedy" where Cera plays maybe his most despicable character yet.

It's one of two films Cera has debuting at Sundance, both helmed by Chilean director Sebastian Silva. To say the film is an odd mix of styles is an understatement, shot guerrilla-style on handheld cam and utilizing the minimalist, naturalistic style of many indie pictures. Upon first glance one might think this was a Duplass Brothers production, or something cooked up by Lynn Shelton. But at the same time it's loopy and random, dispensing a weird coming-of-age tale that Silva keeps hidden until you've nearly given up hope there was ever any meaning to it all. 

At the center of it all is Cera's crude and utterly unlikable performance as Jamie, a drug-obsessed douchebag staying in Chile and doing copious amounts of illegal substances. He's hooked up with three brothers (all played by Silva's real brothers) who seem to barely tolerate him, only indulging his desire to seek out new drugs to try. After doing tons of Chilean cocaine at a party, Jamie makes fun of a girl named Crystal Fairy (Gaby Hoffmann), a wild-haired, uni-browed free spirit accurately described as a "lonely tornado". Despite Jamie treating her like dirt, she's nice to him, and in his drug haze invites her along on a road trip to find the legendary San Pedro cactus.

So what's so special about this cactus? Well, it gives an incredible high, of course, and Jamie has complete tunnel vision when it comes to securing it. After a strange night in which he invites a pair of drag queens up to his apartment for dinner(more randomness), the boys head off on their journey, with Crystal Fairy in tow despite Jamie forgetting he ever invited her. He's a complete jerk to her the entire way, and it's not just that he's mean; he's especially cruel and pointed. After she showers and returns to the room naked, in a rather awkward and unsexy scene, he renames her Crystal Hairy because of excess tufts of hair pretty much everywhere. Only the brothers does he seem to treat with any respect, and it's hard to tell if that's because he needs them to find the cactus, or because of some other unknown reason. He's at his worst when they discover a poor neighborhood where the cactus grows in some peoples' yards, and rather than enduring a friendly conversation with the owner, Jamie sneaks out and steals it from her. Not before being a complete ass-hat in the process. 

Jamie may be a total scumbag, but Crystal is immensely sympathetic, even though we've seen variations on her character before. While elements of the manic pixie dreamgirl complex are present, she also shows moments of intuitiveness and strength when dealing with Jamie's aggressive attitude. Hoffmann, an underrated actress who isn't seen on the silver screen nearly enough, saves the character from being a total cliché. Cera is obviously effective in creating such an ire against Jamie. 

It's unclear if Silva was aiming for this to be funnier, but it doesn't achieve much in that regard. Cera shines a couple of times, mostly through physical comedy as he's enduring the hallucinogenic effects of the cactus. It's much more effective once they hit their beachside destination for a camp out, where secrets are revealed and emotions lay bare. It's then that you realize that for all of the plot's meandering, these characters were slowly but surely becoming the oddest little family of all. It's to Silva's credit that he takes such a subtle approach, but he finds something tender and charming in the end. The conclusion's something of a head scratcher that will probably have many questioning everything they just watched. That's probably exactly what Silva wants you to do. Just because Crystal Fairy wanders, that doesn't mean it's lost.

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