The next set of reviews we’ll be publishing are some of the ones Roger Thomas has done exclusively for The Stanly News & Press. Roger has written movie reviews for The Stanly News & Press and other outlets for years, long before starting this blog. So we decided it would be good to give readers a sample of his previous work, in addition to posts of reviews of current films. Other reviews will run daily.
Left to right: Matthew McConaughey, Tye Sheridan and Jacob Lofland
As I watched the film “Mud” I was taken back to 1996 to another film that I have loved for almost two decades.
Both films take place in Arkansas. Each film is flavored by their Southern settings. Both films involve young boys meeting strangers. In both there have been deaths, killings in fact that happened sometime before the stories begin. There is also the threat of more violence to come. Both films have female characters that make bad choices. And in each case, the stranger ends up acting to save a young boy, in one way or another.
Mud” does many things right. First, the cast is very strong. Matthew McConaughey creates a title character that is fascinating. As more and more details come out about this mysterious stranger, one can easily become enthralled in the decisions and choices he will make as events play out.
There is some early Oscar buzz swirling around McConaughey; he has been here before however and he has never ended up with a ticket to the big dance. It is far too early to be handicapping any contenders at this point.
Reese Witherspoon and Sam Shepard also do fine work in supporting roles. However the best performances are the two young leads: Tye Sheridan and Jacob Lofland. The audience experiences all the events of the film through their young eyes and viewers understand what is happening as the boys make discoveries. “Mud” succeeds because these two young actors make Ellis (Sheridan) and Neckbone (Lofland) authentic and worthy of empathy.
The film has other strengths. I have lived in small towns most of my life. I think I understand them. This film captures small town life. (I was even in college with a boy whose parents moved to DeWitt, Arkansas while we were in school together. Some of this film was shot in DeWitt.) Scenes in parking lots, cheap hotels, and various other places all seem authentic, places I have been or at least past in my small town experiences.
The film also boasts some fine cinematography especially on the water and a screenplay that has almost as many twists and turns as the river, and some very strong scenes between Mud and the boys.
In the end though, this film is not driven by how well it is made. It works only if the audience cares about the three leads. For me, I had invested enough by the climax that I wanted all three of them to survive.
Any time a film can make you care about fictional characters, especially one such as “Mud,” there is worthy achievement on the filmmakers’ part. “Mud” is a successful film and deserves to find a larger audience.
If anyone is not clear on the film I referenced in the opening paragraph, it is Billy Bob Thornton’s masterpiece, “Sling Blade.” I have seen that film more times than I can count. “Mud” is not as strong as “Sling Blade.” The story is not captivating and Mud is not the same caliber of hero as Karl.
I keep hoping that Thornton will make a sequel to “Sling Blade;” a sequel to “Mud” would be fine too, but given a choice of only one, I would definitely vote for “Sling Blade.”
There is a reason why Thornton’s film beat “The English Patient” for Best Screenplay in 1996. “Mud” is not quite “Sling Blade,” but for 2013, it is one of the better films thus far.
And if you are a fan of Karl Childers and Frank Wheatley (Lucas Black at 14 acting circles around his “Sling Blade” co-stars), you will especially like this very similar story set in rural Arkansas. And if you have not seen the earlier film, rent “Sling Blade” and also check out “Mud.” It is well worth the price of admission.
Box Office results
Domestic gross: $21,590,086
Foreign gross: NA
Production budget: NA
Opening weekend: $2,215,891
NOTE: Information from Boxofficemojo.com
Cinema Corner 