Writer/director Jeff Nichols has been a burgeoning talent in the filmmaking world for a few years now following his one-two punch of Shotgun Stories and Taking Shelter, but his latest release is proving to be his most successful yet. Not only has Mud caught on with general audiences (to the tune of $26.8 million and counting), but the film provides a unique, enthralling, and almost mythic take on the coming-of-age genre that boasts a magnetic performance by Matthew McConaughey and truly stunning breakthrough work from the young Tye Sheridan. The result is one of the best films of the year, and it's now available on home video. Hit the jump for my review of Mud on Blu-ray. The Film Pulling from his own experiences, Mud takes place in Nichols' native Arkansas and tells the Mark Twain-esque story of two young boys who stumble upon a mysterious man named Mud (McConaughey) living on a small island in the middle of the Mississippi River. Our protagonist, Ellis (Sheridan), is dealing with family problems at home and the misery of young love, and so he finds adventure in befriending the enigmatic Mud. As it turns out, Mud is in hiding for a soon-to-be-revealed crime, and he himself is waiting for the love of his life Juniper (Reese Witherspoon) to join him on the run. The events that follow drip with the intensity of the best thrillers, but Nichols maintains a strong sense of character focus throughout that keeps the film grounded. McConaughey is swell as the ...
No comments:
Post a Comment