Strung Outt

Alice is a multi-dimensional character that, as she declares in a powerful speech, is "not suffering", but is "struggling" with the insurmountable challenges that Alzheimer's creates for her in her daily life. She does not come across as a victim, but as a strong woman who perseveres to hold on to her identity, familial relationships, professional integrity, and life, even when she is brought to her low points. Julianne Moore has stated that she did a tremendous amount of research for this role, and her performance seen in the movie is based on behavior she had been described or personally saw in people with Alzheimer's. Her dedication to the role certainly shows in her emotionally gripping performance, even despite only having a mere 23 days of shooting for the entire film. 

Here's a brief interview featuring Moore describing her experience bringing this character to life.

Another strong point of the film was the relationship between Alice and her youngest daughter Lydia, played by a very perceptive Kristen Stewart. Though the two have their differences (particularly on Lydia's career choice and future plans), Lydia is the most supportive member of their family, and even ends up moving from Los Angeles to New York to take care of Alice in her later stages of the disease. Their disagreements, along with the touching moments of clarity (particularly Alice's 'what is it like' monologue) are what really give insight into how this disease affects a person and their loved ones. In the end, though, it is love that shines through. 

With her stunning performance, Julianne Moore has already spread more awareness about the many facets of this disease that affect so many people worldwide. Luckily, this film has also opened up dialogue about Alzheimer's disease and what can be done to promote research and help those affected with it. 

Aside from strong, emotionally moving performances, another aspect that stood out in the film is how it is structured. The story of Strayed is told by primarily focusing on her journey hiking the PCT, yet it also features non-linear flash backs to her past. This approach allows the viewer to look into her troubled past and understand the complex relationships she has had (especially with her mother and ex-husband), her addictions, her loss, and ultimately what brought her to this venture on the PCT. 

'Wild' spends a good portion of the film portraying Strayed's backpacking trip as she pushes herself to endure the physical challenges of such an endeavor, and also features the people and animals she meets on the way. Of the several people she meets, one reporter (who is convinced she is a female hobo) tries to exploit her for an article he is writing, but most of them offer her a helpful hand in some way or another. Despite all of the possible personal, physical, and environmental dangers that could have happened to her along her journey, it was her encounter with two disquieting hunters (one more than the other) that Witherspoon seemed to express fear. This struck me as a powerful statement. 

I hadn't thought about my pictures as activism, until women around me started telling me how much I inspired their journeys—whether through butt selfies, or loving their body. I think what’s important, at the end of the day. At the end of the day,  I love my body because it functions. I love my body because it loves me back. I love my body because it’s brave. Sometimes, people are frustrated with me. “My boyfriend would never let me do that!” or “What if a future employer sees that?” I am living in the now. My partner doesn’t own my body. Sometimes, taking a good ol’ fashion butt selfie can turn a bad day around.  I can want positive reinforcement for my body anytime.  

I think a lot about my history as a woman when people tell me I inspire them. I wasn’t always confident, and I didn’t always want to shine brightly with my booty on the internet. Throughout my “coming of age” at sixteen, I was horribly harassed by a girl who hated me for, as my friends and family said, being pretty, I was physically abused by a boyfriend who called me a whore, I was anti-social, depressed, and hiding behind my own brightness. This is my coming of age, as a 21 year old. As an adult. You can reinvent yourself at any age. Those early years of development don't define anyone.

Somedays I wake up and don’t like my body. Somedays I wake up and feel like #bodypositivity on Instagram is EXTREMELY thin, EXTREMELY flat bellied, and EXTREMELY normative. Sometimes I feel like no one out there looks like me, and therefore my survival as a bigger woman will be harder. Sometimes, I think about how I should consider women bigger than me, who might feel marginalized by my #bodypositivity. Somedays I wake up and feel like hot shit. I wake up feeling like #IWokeUpLikeThis or #YouWishIWasYourPoundCake. Somedays I wake up and think that I should be working out everyday and only eating carrots. Somedays I’m perfectly content eating Pad Thai in my underwear at noon on a Friday. I give my body credit for letting me love it, through all of these up and downs.

With Valentine’s Day approaching, I would like to put out a call to all of you. Love your body publicly. Love it privately. Get a tattoo. Wear a cute outfit. Put glitter on or gem your face. You’re hot shit. You are beautiful. Your booty is fab.

Love/Lust,