The Woodsman

The Woodsman - ****

From rookie director Nicole Kassell, "The Woodsman" is a haunting and disturbing story of a recently released from prison pedophile who attempts to get on with his life. It stars Kevin Bacon, taking the risk of his career as Walter, a hopefully reformed pedophile, who returns from prison to a bleak apartment, a dead end job and a friendless existence apart from his brother-in-law Carlos (Benjamin Bratt). He takes a job at a lumber company, and meets Vickie (Kyra Sedgewick), a pretty yet hard nosed woman who actually seems to understand him. It is with her help, along with that of a psychiatrist, that he begins the process of self-medication and reintigration into society. This film is so well helmed by Kassell that it completely enraptures its audience. In viewing it, we take on not any specific character but instead an entirely new one. At times we can't help but feel sorry for Walter, while at others we detest him. The impartial manner with which the subject matter is presented is also an advantage; we choose to view any of the characters in our own way. Bacon is clearly the film's breadwinner; if one is to define great acting as convincing the audience that he is in fact not acting but simply living, he must be considered one of the best in the business. The support from Bratt and Sedgewick is fantastic, but perhaps the greatest of all comes from Mos Def, who plays Seargent Lucas, a character who hounds Walter part out of malice and the other out of real concern for the city's children. He's his own Javert; hard to hate, yet impossible to entirely agree with. Some interesting perspective, as well as profound mood creation and excellent performances make this a must see. Thumbs up.