Posts
2013, 05-03:
Review of
film: “MUD”
[+ mentions of “DISCONNECT” & “THE KINGS OF SUMMER” & “THE WAY, WAY
BACK” ]
As
mentioned in my review of “DISCONNECT”
[which can be found at = http://voice-of-film.blogspot.com/2013/05/review-of-film-disconnect-mentions-of.html ], for some unknown reason, this spring has shown an
unusual profusion of EXCELLENTLY-
ACTED film work by young and / or
comparatively “unfamiliar” actors (in all the films mentioned above)--
people who I feel may well become some of the "UP-&-COMING" STARS of TOMORROW...…
people who I feel may well become some of the "UP-&-COMING" STARS of TOMORROW...…
… The film company
describes its “MUD” movie this way
(with emphasis & “[ ]” interjections being mine):
“14 year-old Ellis (TYE SHERIDAN,
seen previously as Steve in “THE TREE OF
LIFE””) lives on a makeshift houseboat
on the banks of a river in Arkansas with his parents [who are having domestic PROBLEMS], Mary Lee
(SARAH
PAULSON) and Senior (RAY McKINNON)…
“ … [TYE] sneaks out early one morning to meet
his best friend, Neckbone
(JACOB LOFLAND).
[JACOB], also 14, lives with his uncle, Galen (MICHAEL SHANNON), who makes a
hardscrabble living diving for oysters…
“ … The two boys set out [in TYE’S motorized
boat] to an island on the Mississippi River, where [JACOB] has discovered an unusual sight-- a
[fancy CABIN-style] BOAT, suspended high in the trees, a remnant of an extreme flood some time in the past…
“ … They climb the tree and into the boat
only to find fresh bread and fresh footprints.
Realizing that they are not the only ones who have discovered
the treehouse boat, they decide to leave…
“ … When they reach [TYE’S small boat pulled-up
on] the shore, they find the same [distinctive
shoe] footprint IN their boat. And that's when they meet MUD (MATTHEW McCONAUGHEY). MUD is a gritty, superstitious character; his clothes are dirty, his tooth is
cracked, and he needs help…
“ … [MATTHEW] tells the boys he will give
them the treehouse boat, his current
hideout, in exchange for food.
[JACOB]
is reluctant, but [, after a
discussion, TYE] brings food to MUD, and they
develop a tentative friendship [tho
JACOB seems a bit concerned that it may be a “ONE-SIDED”
situation]…
“ … [TYE] learns that MUD has killed a man in Texas, and police and bounty hunters are LOOKING for him… But MUD is
more concerned about reuniting with his longtime LOVE, Juniper ([played by] REESE
WITHERSPOON) [who he “expects” he’ll soon MEET in the area]…
“ … [TYE], who has recently developed his own crush [on a girl in town named
MAY PEARL, played by BONNIE STURDIVANT], agrees to help
MUD ESCAPE with [REESE]…
“ … [TYE & JACOB] carry out bold schemes
in an effort to protect MUD
and relay messages to [REESE], who
is holed up in a fleabag motel, under constant surveillance by Carver (PAUL SPARKS),
a Texas bounty hunter…
“ … [SPARKS] and his gang are intent on capturing MUD, on orders from the
cold-blooded King (played by JOE DON BAKER)…
“ … As the boys risk everything to reunite these seeming mythical lovers, [TYE’S]
own
ideas about love and romance are challenged
by the strains in the relationships closest
to him: his PARENTS’ marriage is DISSOLVING while he himself falters in his efforts
to impress [his seeming girlfriend BONNIE]…
“ … Through it all, [TYE] struggles to
look for an example of love that he
can believe in, learning
about the unspoken rules and RISKS of love and the reality of heartbreak… ”
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… Who is the mysterious
character TOM BLANKENSHIP (played by SAM
SHEPARD)?... Does he have some “connection” to MUD, &, if so, what IS
it?... What possible “INVOLVEMENT”
will he have in the overall story &
it’s OUTCOME?...
… What will happen to MUD (MATTHEW)?...
What will happen to TYE &
JACOB & their family members?!...
… In this film, Matthew
continues his recent series of
unusually FINE work (such as
in “THE LINCOLN LAWYER”, “KILLER JOE”
& “MAGIC MIKE”), effectively
“immersing” himself into his
memorable and believable CHARACTER…
… Equally striking is the work by TYE & JACOB (the latter
whom had NEVER ACTED in a movie before, & was chosen from like 2000 boys
the producers interviewed)…
… Oftentimes, people playing
kids (like their 14-year-old characters) are given very “STEREOTYPED”
roles. But, in part thanks to some fine WRITING (by director JEFF NICHOLS), these guys come across as completely “REAL” individuals-- guys who’ve had HARD lives & are
each other’s BEST friend:
… They really discuss things with each other. They may
not always agree with each other, but they talk over things in an HONEST & “RESPECTFUL” (rather than hurtful) way when they disagree…
… TYE has the little motorboat (which he’s happy to
use for PROJECTS the 2 of them come
up with), & JACOB has a MOTORCYCLE with a sort of “trailer” on the
back for carrying around a fish cooler (& other items)-- which he also
readily makes available (when
asked)…
… But, they really DISCUSS what they’re thinking of
doing (rather than one of them “forcing” an issue)… Even when they disagree on certain things (like the degree of HELP one of
them wants to give to MUD), they do
it in a KIND rather than “hurtful” way…
… In other words, it seems
to be important to each to “LOOK OUT” for the other & his feelings & existence, as they seem
to understand they’re often “IN”
things “TOGETHER” in their
hard-life world…
… Both boys are
unusually “STRAIGHT-FORWARD” & “MATTER-OF-FACT” in dealings with other people (like girlfriends, MATTHEW
/ “MUD” & others): they avoid dealing in “political CORRECTNESS”,
& instead BLUNTLY speak-up when they want to KNOW or state something they
feel is important… They take “RISKS” for what
they believe in…
… All that helps the
guys come across as incredibly “BELIEVABLE” in their characters,
& thus aids in their very effectively “SELLING”
the whole movie (as do all the OLDER actors)…
… Accordingly, I’m
rating the film as 8.50 stars
out of 10 for its wonderfully convincing
emotion-tinged drama of growing-up in less-than-ideal circumstances…
… And, a “FOLLOW-UP” movie with the “CONTINUING” story the main
characters would be something I’d LOOK FORWARD to seeing!...
... Other "UP-&-COMING possible stars of tomorrow" Reviews can be seen as follows:
… “THE KINGS OF SUMMER”
is covered not only in my REVIEW
of the film at = http://voice-of-film.blogspot.com/2013/05/review-of-film-kings-of-summer-q-with.html ,
but also in my REPORT on the Q&A
by the 3 young male stars in it [which can be found at
= http://voice-of-film.blogspot.com/2013/06/report-on-film-kings-of-summer-q-with.html ]…
... "THE WAY, WAY BACK" can be found at = http://voice-of-film.blogspot.com/2013/07/review-of-film-way-way-back.html ...
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