The Woodsman (2004)

Director:

Nicole Kassell

Writers:

Steven Fechter (play)
Nicole Kassell (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

28 January 2005 (Greece)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

What's the worst thing you ever did?

Plot:

A pedophile returns to his hometown after 12 years in prison and attempts to start a new life.

Plot Keywords:

Prison | Job | Lumberyard | Apartment | Park

Awards:

6 wins & 16 nominations

Cast

Kevin Bacon	...	Walter
David Alan Grier	...	Bob
Eve	...	Mary-Kay
Kyra Sedgwick	...	Vicki
Benjamin Bratt	...	Carlos
Carlos Leon	...	Pedro
Michael Shannon	...	Rosen
Kevin Rice	...	Candy
Mos Def	...	Sgt. Lucas
Hannah Pilkes	...	Robin
Jessica Nagle	...	Annette
Liam Daniels	...	Boy at Playground
Joey Hazinsky	...	Cherub
Clara Hopkins Daniels	...	Little Girl on Bus (as Clara Infinity Daniels)
Ashley C. Coombs	...	Girl on Bus

MPAA:

Rated R for sexuality, disturbing behavior and language.

Runtime:

87 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color | Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Norway:15 | Iceland:14 (original rating) | Iceland:16 (video rating) | New Zealand:R16 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Brazil:16 | Canada:13+ (Québec) | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Finland:K-15 | Germany:12 | Ireland:16 | Malaysia:(Banned) | Netherlands:16 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:M18 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R | Ireland:18 (video rating) | Mexico:B15

Filming Locations:

Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Company:

Dash Films

Trivia:

The part of Mary Kay, played by Eve, was originally intended for a 45 year old white male. She was recommended for the part by Kevin Bacon, and was hired without a single audition.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Walter and Vicki are driving in her truck for the first time, the transmission selector is clearly in "park".

Quotes:

Walter: [Repeated line] When will I be normal?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Benchwarmers (2006)

Soundtrack:

Rough Edges

Kevin Bacon is towering in a tough-sell film.....

The journeyman actor Kevin Bacon blows most of the current Oscar Best Actor competition out of the water with his searing portrayal of a paroled pedophile in The Woodsman. The difficult subject matter may spell box-office suicide for this film, particularly at Christmas time. However, if Newmarket Films is smart, they will market this the same way Monster was promoted for Charlize Theron's performance.

Bacon employs a minimalist acting style and submerges himself into this complex character, on the strength of his physicality alone. Thin and gaunt, hair darkened, eyes dead, and jaw severely set, Bacon doesn't waste a facial muscle or telegraph anything more than necessary. He allows us to get into the character's head piece by piece, and it's not always a pleasant place to be. Bacon is uncompromising in his refusal to make anything about the character trivial and sentimental, and that is the key to his success in making Walter such a vivid, believable man.

The screenplay seems to almost be stripped bare, with little actually revealed through dialogue. However, monologues are used to great effect.

Bacon's mesmerizing performance is enhanced by astute direction from first-timer Nicole Kassell, who also adapted the screenplay with the original playwright, Steven Fechter. The cast is superb-Benjamin Bratt, Kyra Sedgwick, David Alan Grier, the beautiful Eve, and best of all, Mos Def, who steals virtually every scene he is in against Bacon, no small task. for those celebrity-watchers, Madonna's baby's daddy, Carlos Leon (father of Lourdes) is in a few scenes.

This is a must-see for Bacon's work, and for the tasteful, intelligent way the subject matter is handled. In short, Tough material, good solid film.