Is the Reese-ergence going to take flight this winter? I don’t know about that, but Reese Witherspoon, at the very least, seems to be taking on meaty roles that aren’t rom-com fare like the odious “This Means War.” Her latest film scoring accolades is “Wild,” by filmmaker Jean-Marc Vallee, who directed both Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto to Academy Awards for their performances in “Dallas Buyers Club.” “Wild” is a survival narrative about perseverance; a woman’s quest for herself incarnating as a dangerous, possibly ill-advised solo trek down the Pacific Crest Trail (read our review).
We already described the movie as kin to a Lucinda Williams song, and the alt-country singer is on the film’s soundtrack. Fox Searchlight and Sony Legacy have announced their partnership for “Wild: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack” which arrives physically and digitally on November 10th and is available for pre-order on Amazon and iTunes now. The soundtrack also features songs by Bruce Springsteen, Simon & Garfunkel, Leonard Cohen, Wings, Portishead, The Hollies and more. The soundtrack is also highlighted by a new cover of R.E.M.‘s "Walk Unafraid," performed by acclaimed Swedish folk-pop duo First Aid Kit.
Most of the music is only used in the film’s various flashbacks. “I didn’t want to give the audience this impression of ‘film watching,’" Vallee said in a statement. "That’s often how I feel with score music. I become aware of it, aware that I’m watching a film, that someone is playing music that the characters don’t hear. When there is music, it’s because it’s playing in the scene from a sound device, a car radio for instance, or a CD player. What [Reese’s character Cheryl] is listening to in her life is the music that we hear during the film."
“Wild” opens in select theatres across North America on December 5th. Tracklist, music samples and new photos from the film below.
“Wild” Soundtrack Tracklisting
1. Simon & Garfunkel – El Condor Pasa (If I Could)
2. First Aid Kit – Walk Unafraid
3. Wings – Let ‘Em In
4. The Shangri-Las – I Can Never Go Home Anymore
5. Leonard Cohen – Suzanne
6. Billy Swan – Don’t Be Cruel
7. Free – Be My Friend (BBC Session/Take One)
8. Lucinda Williams – Something About What Happens When We Talk
9. Portishead – Glory Box
10. Bruce Springsteen – Tougher Than The Rest
11. Pat Metheny Group – Are You Going With Me?
12. The Hollies – The Air That I Breathe
13. Simon & Garfunkel – Homeward Bound
14. Dusted and Eric D. Johnson – Ripple
15. Evan O’Toole – Red River Valley
