Mud - a tiny film with a big heart. Director Jeff Nichols strikes gold yet again with his third movie, leading into what I'm sure will be a very successful career. Mud is filled with heart and cinematic soul, and while it wasn't a Hollywood blockbuster, it certainly was one of the best movies I've seen so far this year.
Mud is the story of two young boys, Ellis (Tye Sheridan) and Neckbone (Jacob Lofland), who embark on a journey to a seemingly deserted island on the Mississippi River. Upon their arrival, they discover an old boat stuck up in the trees, a result of their last flood. Inside the boat, they discover food and boot prints, indicating that they are not alone. This is where Mud enters the story. Mud (Matthew McConaughey) is a man on the run, hiding from a group of bounty hunters who want him dead. In order to protect his girlfriend (Reese Witherspoon), he had to kill a man, and ever since then, the law has been working against him. So the two boys form a pact with Mud and try to help him avoid the bounty hunters and reunite with his true love.
This movie is just a gem, which is pretty amazing considering the plot isn't anything amazing. But it's not really the story that makes this film work, it's the actors who bring it to life.
Matthew McConaughey delivers one of his best performances as Mud. Despite the fact that Mud is a wanted criminal, you still root for his survival and the downfall of the bounty hunters. McConaughey never overplays the character; in fact, he almost underplays it to give the character a sense of mystery. But he's not the only shining star in this movie. Although she was only in the movie a very short amount of time, Reese Witherspoon nails her character, Juniper. After Mud was over, I couldn't stop thinking about her and McConaughey. Their performances resonate and stay with you. That being said, the two boys also do a job well done, especially Ellis, who masters a variety of emotions, from trust to betrayal. The boys add some comedic relief to an otherwise serious story and throughout the film, they progressively mature. The smaller roles, played by people like Sam Shepard and Joe Don Baker, also make the world more believable and add to a talented cast.
What makes this movie even more incredible is the fact that, on the surface, there seems to be nothing incredible about it. There is no action until the end. The romance is only spoken of, never seen. And the entire movie is really just a series of conversations between characters. And yet, Mud gets under your skin and stays there. It deals with profound themes that we ourselves question, such as law and love. With Ellis's parents getting a divorce, he begins to question love and if people can be true to one another. And he learns that love hurts. And the movie poses questions about the law, and if things are fair or not. It's these themes and the characters involved in them that make this movie a masterpiece.
Mud is an incredible movie - no doubt. It's a character-driven story with people that you would want to know. It offers some of the best performances from both McConaughey and Witherspoon, as well as the rest of the cast. The movie is nearly perfect, with the only part falling short for me was the ending. While I enjoyed the conclusion, I was slightly unsatisfied. However, that's just my opinion. I could easily see how somebody would love the end; it just didn't fit me exactly. Overall, though, Mud is a must-see and falls just below perfection. I can't wait to see what Jeff Nichols comes up with next!
RATING: 4.8 / 5
This movie is rated PG-13 (violence, sexual content, language, and drugs/alcohol)
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