Mud

Ellis (Tye Sheridan) lives on a houseboat in Arkansas with his parents; Mary Lee (Sarah Paulson) and Senior (Ray McKinnon). Their marriage is falling apart as they scrounge for a living. He and his best friend Neckbone, who lives with his uncle Galen (Michael Shannon), find a boat high up in a tree on an island. They meet Mud (Matthew McConaughey).

This is a perfect little movie. This is probably the most complete and deepest character Matthew McConaughey has ever played. Yet it's the outstanding work of newcomer Tye Sheridan that holds the whole thing together. This is only his second movie after 'The Tree of Life' and he absolutely shines here. This movie has a great sense of place. The actors are all great. Importantly, the characters are all deep and complex. It is a truly intriguing little movie.

I was pretty engaged in this film, particularly in the day-to-day existence of the boys who are at the center of it. It has an element of the "Stand by Me" mentality. The boys are bright and real and find themselves having to make decisions on a moral code that they have made for themselves. They are, for the most part, realistic about things, but the culture they are in is so boring and so lacking in stimulation that when the intriguing figure of Mud comes along, they are ready for adventure. Unfortunately, there are simply so many things that just aren't believable. Their access to everything they need when they need it. The ease of transport. The lack of suspicion from others (I know there is some). They also have an incredible amount of mobility. Then there is the contrived "High Noon" conclusion that is bound to happen. It is, itself, pretty demanding of our suspension of disbelief. Still, it keeps us entertained, the acting is quite admirable, particularly the supporting characters, but I expected a little more.

This is a movie that stays with you. It's a real movie about people, and a place--not car chases and explosions. I don't agree with the mixed reviews and complaints about the length of the movie. Matthew McConnahey is well-cast. All of the actors do a good work; Reese Witherspoon, Sam Sheppard. Tye Sheridan and Jacob Lofland do a great job playing the child characters. The Mississippi river is like a character in the movie, which evokes Huckleberry Finn, as others have noted. The settings are magnificent. In a sea of manufactured movies, it's nice to see something that was crafted by human beings. I would recommend this movie to those who are interested.

The audience in the theater I was in seemed absorbed.

An exquisite piece of filmmaking from writer-director Jeff Nichols, bolstered by powerful performances from Matthew McConaughey, Reece Witherspoon, Sam Shephard, Tye Sheridan and Jacob Lofland. 'Mud' is a beautifully shot film that blends crime, drama and romance into a heartfelt plot that follows two young boys who encounter a fugitive in need of their help. Set against some of the most unique and stunning locations ever used in a film, 'Mud' is reminiscent of flicks including 'Stand by Me' and 'Night of the Hunter'. Starting off relatively slow, the film steadily urges the viewer into a riveting tale of love, hate and redemption, with McConaughey giving one of his finest performances ever. A realistic and gripping coming-of-age tale that not only stands as being one of the best films of 2012, but one of the best dramas of the past decade.

If you're like me, you greet the phrase "coming of age story" with something between a polite nod and an gaping, open mouthed yawn. While "Mud" falls into that category, it's easily one of the best, if not the best, in its class. This is because nothing about it is predictable; there's no sappy cliché message, and although it's mostly tame regarding violence, some parts are extremely tense, menacing and disturbing. Ultimately, yes, it's a coming of age story, but it's a slightly dark version which is aimed more at adults than kids.

The plot in a sentence: Two 14-year-old boys discover a mysterious loner living on an island on the Mississippi River, and as secrets unravel they realize they've gotten into something much deeper than they had bargained for.

Although our protagonist is a 14-year-old boy "Ellis" (excellently, and I mean EXCELLENTLY, played by Tye Sheridan), this isn't just a 14-year-old's story. In the DVD interviews, director/writer Jeff Nichols said he chose a young teen as the protagonist because he felt that our early teens are when we feel emotions the strongest. Everything is amplified, and later in life we rarely feel that surge the same. And so, through the eyes of Ellis, we see a story unfold in a grippingly powerful way.

Themes touch on loyalty, responsibility & fighting for what you believe in. But the central theme is love in its many definitions. We learn that our mysterious stranger (Matthew McConoughy) is driven solely and obsessively by thought of his lost love, and in a parallel fashion, Ellis is falling in love with his first crush. In both cases, he sees love as a storybook ideal. What he gets may not be what he had imagined, and this creates a powerful, driving conflict in the story.

There is action, suspense, artistry and some beautifully shot, poetic moments brought to life through the camera as well as McConoughy's fantastic performance. Even more so, the setting of rural Arkansas along the Mississippi is something you can't miss. In almost a Werner Herzog type vein ("Aguirre the Wrath of God", "Fitzcarraldo") where the ominous natural setting becomes a silent character in the film, director Nichols really knew how to immerse us in an all-encompassing, dense alternate reality, set apart from the real world as if time were frozen since the days of Huck Finn. That alone is worth the price of admission. Definitely if you're a fan of Herzog you must see this film.

Other directors and films I'd compare this to include Wim Wenders ("Until the End of the World" with its vast Australian desolation), Lasse Hallström ("Safe Haven" set in Southport, NC or even "Chocolat" set in a timeless French village on a river) and of course the Rob Reiner masterpiece "Stand By Me". If you liked any of those flicks, you won't be disappointed here.