The Woodsman
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Movie Reviews of The Woodsman
Movie Review: Kevin Bacon in top form
Summary: 5 Stars
Kevin Bacon has had an interesting career to the say the least. In the `80s, he was being groomed as a leading man with Footloose but ended up rejecting these kinds of films in favour of memorable supporting roles in the `90s with the likes of JFK. In recent years, Bacon has gone back and forth from high profile gigs like Mystic River to meatier roles in independent films like The Woodsman.
Kevin Bacon delivers a sensitive, intensely internalized performance. When we see him looking at the school grounds it doesn't take much to figure out what he's thinking about. The veteran actor does an excellent job of showing Walter's internal struggle as he tries to suppress the old urges and temptations. Walter is sick and he knows it. He asks his psychiatrist, "When will I be normal?" This could so easily be his mantra throughout the movie. All he wants is to lead a normal life and finally defeat his inner demons.
There is a theatrical trailer.
"Getting it Made" is not exactly a Making Of featurette but rather an interview with the film's producer, Lee Daniels. He candidly reveals his aversion to the screenplay at first but after meeting with Kassell he agreed to make the movie.
Also included are three deleted scenes, including one where Vickie proposes that she and Walter live together. Another one tries to define the attraction of little girls for Walter. There is some good footage here that shouldn't have been cut.
Finally, there is an audio commentary by director Nicole Kassell. This is a very knowledgeable and informative track as Kassell clearly did her homework and it shows in every frame of this movie.
The characters are well-drawn, fully realized with smart dialogue and a deft touch at how the film's sensitive subject matter is depicted. Director Nicole Kassell gives it the proper amount of respect and seriousness that it deserves. There is never a false moment or feeling of mindless sensationalism. The film does a good job of getting inside Walter's head, showing us the world through his eyes and yet it gives insights into both sides: the perpetrator and the victim. It shows how both sides feel and the effects of physical abuse on them. The Woodsman doesn't try to judge Walter; leaving that up to the audience, but it does try to understand him and his sickness. Bacon is more than up for this challenging role with a strong performance in this powerful, yet understated movie.
Movie Review: VERY Disturbing...(5) stars for Kevin Beacon's acting
Summary: 5 Stars
I was going through the "Dvd" (don't want to mention names) store for my weekend rentals and happen to come across this sitting on the shelf and picked it up. Suddenly, a young woman behind me started talking to me saying, "Now that was really an intense movie!" I turned to face her and noticed that she was wearing a uniform with a name tag from the "Dvd" store I was in. I kind of smiled and she continued chatting (Maybe because she was being a good sales person I suppose or maybe just because she was a "Chattie" Cathy)...Anyway, she told me briefy what it was about and that all the actors in the movie did it for free! I looked her directly in the eyes with confusion written upon my face, this sort of blank expression and said quickly back, "Free", What do you exactly mean by...free"? She kind of smiled and said, "Oh yeah, it's true, all the actors in this film never received a dime to act in this film. They all just wanted to be in the film and get it out! (O.k. she had me... Hook, Line and Sinker!) Well, I guess Miss "Chattie" Cathy turned out to be one great sales person after all! :) I had to see this movie, so I rented it! (Oh yeah, she also talked me into two Hershey bars (with almonds) and a tub of buttered popcorn!) :) Now, truthfully on the record, I have to admit, I never have been a huge fan of Kevin Beacon, but man, does he do this part justice! Truly an Oscar performance 100%! I found the film very disturbing and even a little...
(Strike that, rewind...)
I mean, I found it "ALOT"... nauseating!!! Not nauseating in the conventional sense, but because of the subject matter, child molestation. It really burned me up watching many of the scenes, that I actually found myself digging my fingers into my palms. Especially during the scene with the little girl on the park bench. I found myself so engulfed that I actually said out loud, ..."Dear lord please don't let him do what I think he is going to do"!!! This movie was gripping, pure and simple, and for Kevin Beacon to take on such a role as an actor I give the man a standing ovation. (again not because of the subject matter...but because it took some guts to play such a role!)
It really makes you stop and think how innocense can be wipped in a second by such brutal acts! God Bless all the children of this world!
Movie Review: Repairing a shattered life
Summary: 5 Stars
Kevin Bacon is extremely effective in evoking empathy for one of the most despicable criminal types, the child molester, in the film he produced, "The Woodsman".
Paroled after 12 years in prison, Bacon playing the pedophile Walter, is trying to reconstitute his decimated life. He is scorned by his family with his brother in law Carlos, played by Benjamin Bratt being the only exception. He manages to find employment in a lumberyard where he had previously worked for the sympathetic present owner's father. He keeps to himself and eventually becomes involved with tough shelled but compassionate fellow worker Vicki played by his real life wife Kyra Sedgewick. We learn that she also has some repressed issues.
Amazingly, Bacon lives in an apartment overlooking a schoolyard where temptation is within his view. Even after 12 years he must battle to keep his everpresent internal demons at bay. He is checked on periodically by police sergeant Lucas played nicely by Mos Def. He peers through his window at the children playing while writing in a journal as suggested by his shrink. While ruminating he becomes aware of a guy who he believes in stalking the children, plying them with goodies.
Just as he begins to establish a life with some normalcy, lumberyard office worker Mary Kay played by rap star Eve finds out his secret while surfing the web. She spills the beans via a flyer to her fellow co-workers causing conflict at the job. This causes Bacon to become unsettled. He follows a young girl who he had previously met in a park while she was birdwatching.
In the most poignant scene in the film, Bacon who feels the need to accost the young girl, is using his smoothest lines to get over on the 11 year old girl Robin played well by Hannah Pikes.
In the course of conversation it becomes apparent that the unfortunate child has already been subjected to abuse by her pathetic father. This tear jerking scene snaps Bacon out of his pedophilic funk getting him back on track to the restoration of his life.
Bacon went far out on a limb making a movie with such sensitive subject matter. With the deft touch of director Nicole Kassell the film effectively examines a wide array of emotions in response to this tabooed issue.
Movie Review: Kevin Bacon is mesmerizing....
Summary: 5 Stars
Wow. I've read the other reviews here and people have covered the film plot, etc.
This movie is hands down was the most painful for me to watch EVER. I was uncomfortable from start to finish. That said, I could not take my eyes off Kevin Bacon. This is a brave and unflinching, ungentle movie, and I applaud him for not only taking the role but slipping so seamlessly into it, which is - in a word - more than freaky. Most of the time I didn't even recognize him.
In the scene at the bar, Walter makes shapes with the linen napkin. As he suddenly pops up a white linen bunny with his first smile of the film, I realize this is probably one of the ways he lures or grooms his victims and I was suddenly in the mind and inner workings of a pedophile. I did NOT like being in there. But it happened again throughout the film. When he has Kyra's character sitting on his lap, the waves of nausea went right through me.
I'd also like to address the review that talked about an implausible moment in the park with the little girl. Not to invalidate or disrespect the opinion, but I actually found it quite believable and I too was in the social service field for many years, working with rape and incest survivors. First off, I knew as soon as she so willingly talked with him and most especially when she agreed to sit on his lap that she had boundaries that were lost in her victimization. Second, his response to realizing this did in fact seem realistic to me - and did not mean that he was in any sense a more enlightened man because of it - just that, because it was not him but someone else, he could see the abuse clearly and it was enough of a jolt to force him back to awareness of what he was about to do. I hope that makes the same sense in typed words that it does in my head.
This is the hardest film to recommend for viewing. On the one hand, the acting, the directing, the incredible attention to detail, is superb and really shouldn't be missed in times of so many mediocre films. But on the other hand, how do I recommend to friends and loved ones that they allow their guts to be ripped open, perhaps triggers to get triggered, and invite such an intense moment of pain into their lives that may well haunt them for a long time?
Movie Review: Slowly unfolding character study of a pedophile. Awesome!
Summary: 5 Stars
This 2004 film is as timely as today's headlines. And it was with that in mind that I watched this slowly unfolding character study of a pedophile who has just been released from prison after twelve years. Kevin Bacon is cast as Walter in this very difficult and demanding role. He has returned to his hometown and wants to rehabilitate himself. But his own sister refuses to see him and his brother-in-law tries to befriend him but will not let him meet his 12-year old niece.
Walter has been given a job at a lumber yard and keeps to himself, arousing the curiosity of his co-workers. One is a woman, played by Kyra Sedgwick, who is attracted to him and soon winds up in his bed. Their romance blossoms but he is still aware of his attraction to little girls. Unfortunately, his apartment overlooks a schoolyard and he watches the children every day and finds himself following little girls in the mall and on the street. Eventually, he even follows one into a wooded area. The scene is full of tension as we watch their interaction.
Mos Def is cast as a policeman who visits Walter regularly, saying nasty things about how people like Walter always wind up back in jail. It's an excellent role and he plays it just right. We love him and hate him at the same time, understanding where he is coming from too. There is also another co-worker, played by Eve, who doesn't like Walter and discovers his secret on the internet.
We learn Walter's history as he visits his therapist who has also suggested that Walter keep a diary. While keeping this diary he notices a man hanging around the schoolyard and enticing young boys with candy.
How this all plays out is the stuff of good drama and excellent directing. I was totally involved in the story and the complexities of the characters. The crafting was excellent, with not a wasted word or unnecessary scene.
This is not a film for everybody. There are certainly parts of it that will make you queasy. But it is excellent drama in every sense of the word. Highly recommended.