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November 30, 1999
January 1, 2003
Sony Pictures
R (Restricted)
Nicole Kassell
Kevin Bacon, David Alan Grier, Eve (II), Kyra Sedgwick, Benjamin Bratt, Carlos Leon, Michael Shannon, Kevin Rice, Mos Def, Hannah Pilkes, Jessica Nagle, Liam Daniels, Joey Hazinsky, Clara Infinity Daniels, Ashley C. Coombs, Floriane Maniscloux, Aunt Dot, Spencer Ross, Nicole Gibson, Laura Kirby
Kevin Bacon gives one of the best, most nuanced performances of his career in The Woodsman, a daring and thought-provoking drama he co-produced with his wife, Kyra Sedgwick. In portraying a convicted pedophile named Walter, recently released from prison and struggling to rebuild his life, Bacon and writer-director Nicole Kassell (making her feature-film debut) do a remarkable job of exploring all facets of this troubling yet very human character, from his continuing criminal impulses to the despair he feels over having to conceal his horrible past. Sedgwick costars as the one woman who appears willing to accept Walter, secrets and all, and while The Woodsman takes a few regrettable shortcuts in illustrating Walter's quest for the good man he can be, the film deserves to be seen and discussed as a provocative yet admirably humane study of an individual whom society may too quickly label a "monster." The film allows for different interpretations, and that complexity--along with Bacon's performance--makes it worthy of a wide and hopefully understanding audience. --Jeff Shannon - Amazon.com
