Movie Review

The Woodsman

The Woodsman has a huge independent-film feel to it, and considering the subject matter that's what you might expect from a movie like this. Looking back through the year I can't remember that many films that have taken risks like this, and I can remember even fewer that have been released by Hollywood.

Walter (Kevin Bacon) has just been released from prison after serving twelve years for molesting little girls. He gets an apartment and a job at the lumberyard, but he also learns that working his way back into society will be harder than he thought. He must deal with his infatuation with young girls on a daily basis, his sister won't talk to him or let him see his niece, he spends much of his time alone, and the people at work don't know what he did but do know that he's hiding something. The only friend Walter finds is Vickie (Kyra Sedgwick), a fellow worker at the lumberyard who is drawn to Walter's mysterious solitude. The two begin a romance.

It's hard to determine what audience this movie would best suit, but what I can say is that first-time feature film director Nicole Kassell creates a very effective character study out of Walter. He is more than just a mere perverse figure. Walter has a disease, one that cannot be cured by any kind of medicine and one that will not win him sympathy from anyone. This is not a sickness that can easily be overcome, and this movie's biggest strength is that it never looks for easy ways for Walter to do so. His most telling moments come when he comes face to face with his own demons, and Kassell does a fine job of making those scenes both uncomfortable and scary, as well as hard to predict.

Kevin Bacon also does a fine job of playing this character, showcasing a very creepy figure like only he can. So good in films like "The River Wild" and in the powerful movie in which he played a role similar to this, "Sleepers,? Bacon can no doubt play some of the most frightening presences in movies today. But he also gives Walter a sense of self-hatred and tortured remorse, showing a character who desperately wants to turn back the clock and be normal again. There are two sides to Walter, and if you?re interested in personal battles between good and evil, Walter's case is an interesting one.

The rest of the cast, which includes Bacon's real-life wife, Kyra Sedgwick, Mos Def, Benjamin Bratt, and Eve are also surprisingly good. Sedgwick, in particular, does a really fine job with her character. Vickie's life has been anything but golden, but it has given her a thick layer of skin that Sedgwick wears proudly. She and Bacon also handle scenes of dark personal tragedy really well, especially in one great scene when Walter tells Vickie his dark secret. Mos Def shows up only occasionally but steals every scene, and Benjamin Bratt makes up for his "Catwoman" appearance with a fine dramatic performance. Eve also has a real shot at being a serious actress, playing the nosy secretary at the lumberyard.

"The Woodsman" could have used more depth in certain areas, however. Why is it that the only place willing to house a child sex offender is right near an elementary school? Or why did the film feel the need to end with a violent showdown? Other than that, it's really up to you to decide if this film is for you or not. The subject matter is dark and risky, but if you can sit through it you will get a pretty good character study, plus a few really well acted performances.

Craig's Grade: B

A	10.9%
B	41.8%
C	31.8%
D	15.3%
F	0.3%