The Woodsman (2004)

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

Director:

Nicole Kassell

Writers:

Steven Fechter (play), Nicole Kassell (screenplay)

Stars:

Kevin Bacon, Kyra Sedgwick, Yasiin Bey

7 wins & 20 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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
Yasiin Bey	...	Sgt. Lucas (as Mos Def)
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

Storyline

After twelve years in prison, Walter arrives in an unnamed city, moves into a small apartment across the street from an elementary school, gets a job at a lumberyard, and mostly keeps to himself. A quiet, guarded man, Walter finds unexpected solace from Vickie, a tough-talking woman who promises not to judge him for his history. But Walter cannot escape his past. A convicted sex offender, Walter is warily eyed by his brother-in-law, shunned by his sister, lives in fear of being discovered at work, and is hounded by a suspicious local police officer, Detective Lucas. After befriending a young girl in a neighborhood park, Walter must also grapple with the terrible prospect of his own reawakened demons.

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Plot Keywords:

f rated | male nudity | male rear nudity | based on play | peephole | 

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Taglines:

Nothing can undo the past.

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexuality, disturbing behavior and language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2005 (Peru)

Also Known As:

Der Dämon in mir

Filming Locations:

Tague Lumber, 560 East High Street, Philadelphia, Pennyslvania, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$53,985, 26 December 2004, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$40,601, 20 November 2011

Company Credits

Production Co:

Dash Films, Lee Daniels Entertainment, The Woodsman LLC

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick are married in real life. They also worked together in Lemon Sky (1988), Pyrates (1991) and Murder in the First (1995).

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Goofs

The first time Walter and Vicki drive in her truck, the transmission is clearly in "park".

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Quotes

Walter: Uncommon beauty is commonly overlooked.

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Connections

Referenced in Entourage: The Boys Are Back in Town (2005)

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Soundtracks

Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker)
(1975)
Written by George Clinton (as George Clinton, Jr.), Jerome Brailey and Bootsy Collins (as William Earl Collins)
Performed by Parliament
Courtesy of The Island Def Jam Music Group under license from Universal Music Enterprises

User Reviews

This is an intense, "tough to watch"film

I held my breath throughout this film wondering if he would repeat his mistakes. It was obvious that this was a molester of young girls who hated himself and you could see him fighting the whole way through. Possibly many people who gave this film a low rating said to themselves that a portrayal of a paedophile deserved no sympathy and the producers should not have made it. But the film addressed two salient facts. Firstly there are far more paedophiles around than caught and this type of thing happens frequently in a domestic situation. Far more frequently than anyone is willing to admit. Secondly paedophiles come in many forms and some are as Walter is. He hates it but cannot help it without a huge amount of inner strength. At the end you do not know if he will do it again, it seems likely, but he hates himself and the urges he gets even more than others around him do. It was an intense film, very hard to watch but it points out some ugly truths which most people will not want to admit happens. yet there are a thousand stories of this happening with no one bought to justice. First class acting by all but no one will thank them for it (as we see from the ratings).