Mud

Mud, the latest film from director Jeff Nichols is a surprisingly good movie. In limited release, which is understandable because it would get swallowed up the likes of GI Joe or the soon to be released Iron Man 3, Mud has a down home feel, with raw and true emotions. It was a pleasant surprise and because of that, Mud gets three buckets of Killer Korn (with extra butter).





I know Matthew McConaughey gets top billing in Mud but that's a bait and switch. Usually that would ploy would piss people off, seeing the name of someone they are a fan of (not me, I'm saying someone else) as top billing only to buy a ticket, find a seat, and then see that they're favorite actor isn't really the lead. I think that fan would be okay with it in this case, because in this case the real leading man, the real headliner, the real scene stealer is 17 year old Tye Sheridan. In just his second film Tye, who plays the purposeful, idealistic, romantic crusader Ellis carries this film squarely on his back and he does a great job. It actually feels like this movie was written for Tye, that Jeff Nichols, who also wrote the screenplay did so with Tye in mind for Ellis. Ellis is a 14 year old who with his best friend Neckbone, played just right by newcomer Jacob Lofland sneak off in the early morning to see what's become somewhat of an urban legend, a boat up in a tree. Ellis and Neckbone climb aboard and declare the boat theirs, until Ellis realizes that someone is already living there.

The one living in the boat is McConaughey's Mud and he has big plans for that boat. Mud is living on the boat that's stranded out on an island and he's hiding from the law while waiting on Juniper who's played by Reese Witherspoon. Mud sees that boat as their way out and away from everything but it's in bad shape so he strikes a deal with Ellis and Neck to scrounge up the parts needed to get the boat seaworthy again. It's because of the way Mud talks about Juniper, with such love and reverence that Ellis decides to help the outlaw. Back home, Ellis' parents are going through some trying emotional times and are on the verge of a divorce because Ellis' mother Mary Lee, played by Susan Paulson wants to leave the houseboat she's been living on all her life and move inland. Ellis' father Senior, played by Ray McKinnon makes his living on the river and is scared that he's about to lose not only his way of life but his wife and son too.

Because of the turmoil going on at home, something Ellis can't do anything about he dives headfirst into trying to bring Mud and Juniper together. His whole motivation is seeing that those two strangers make it no matter how dangerous that endeavor may be, and it does get dangerous. Mud is not only being pursued by the state troopers, he's also being pursued by the father of the man Mud killed. King, played pitch perfect by veteran Joe Don Baker is menacing at times and at others cold and calculating. He has men sitting on Junipers hotel room, hoping she leads them to Mud as well as having some troopers on his payroll so they are all just waiting for the green light to kill Mud. The final act of the movie is at first touching and moving, then it completely descends into stupidity. Apparently the bad guys skipped "Bad Guy 101". Instead of waiting for Mud to be alone out there on his boat, in the dark, they shoot up Ellis' house trying to get him.

Ellis has a neighbor across the river who, as Mud said "was the closest thing I had to a father". His name is Tom Blankenship, played by the scraggly Sam Shepard and he used to be a sharpshooter for the CIA in a previous life. He and Mud don't see eye to eye on Juniper but he still loves his adopted son and does what he can to help Mud get off of Ellis' houseboat alive. Mud is shot in such a way that you feel the heat and hear the mosquitoes. Cinematographer Adam Stone captures this world in such a way it almost feels like we the audience are intruding on these peoples lives and the score by David Wingo fits Adam's images like a hand in a glove. The music is slow and languid, just like the ever present river in the movie and gives the film a feel of mysticism. Mud may not be Iron Man 3 in terms of budget but it's a solid film with a great new lead actor and I recommend it. I'll see you at the theater.