The Woodsman
 

I saw this tonight and I really enjoyed the movie. Its about a guy who gets released from prison and has to try to integrate back into society. This movie is very controverstial because of his crime: Spoiler: He molested young girls. When told about the plot of this movie many people are instantly disgusted and have no pity for the character, much like some people in the movie. He did the time, yet he is still paying for the crime even after prison. What does it take for a man to earn redemption for a crime like his? Watch it, its worth the rental fee.

I'll second that. Frankly, I think this movie makes a very cogent point about the nature of these kind of crimes and these kind of people. It is convenient and somewhat simplitic to monsterise them, but I believe that any responsible filmmaker or person ought to really try to understand it as an issue of psychological disorder. I'm not excusing this in any way, but I think the picture is a lot more grey than many people like to believe.

Aside from that, it was just a great movie. The Rafelson/Scorses 70's atmosphere worked really well, especially the opening credits, it almost seemed like it was filmed thirty years ago. Mos Def's monologue, from which the title comes, is a high point in this (admittedly disturbing and depressing) film.

Great film, unfortunately a lot of people want easy escapism which requires a protaganist to cheer for. Pity.

It's on my list of films to watch, but whenever i'm at the video store I never seem to 'fancy' watching it. I think it's definitely a film you need to be in the right frame of mind to watch.

I just saw this film last night and I did enjoy it quite a bit. I really enjoyed the script and the smooth, restrained underacting of all the actors. Because I knew it was a play originally, I chose to digest the film as if it were such. It was not stagey, by any means, however. Like so many others, I found myself cheering for Kevin Bacon's character, wanting him to overcome his demons, to destroy them, as he does towards the end. I felt sympathy for him, which is amazing, because of what his character tells us he does, and what he thinks about. He is clearly a broken human being, but what is redeeming about him is his desire to change.

Another high point was the acting of Mos Def. I don't know if I've seen this man in a film before but I was really impressed by him. He delivered his lines with such cool, such seamlessness. I really enjoyed it.

I suggest that people give this film a try. It is not easy to watch, but it is worth the emotional ride it takes you on, and it does challenge the way you think.

I agree about Mos Def...man that cat is a great actor:

"Get your fucking hands out of your pockets, where I can see them!"

That line really threw me, and as far as I'm concerned really solidified Mos Def as a exceptional actor. From a peaceful non-confrontational posture to a man exerting his power and dominating a situation. Really well done.

I think Benjamin Bratt really showed some chops too. Kyra Sedgewick and Kevin Bacon (real life husband and wife, btw), as always delivered excellent performances as well.

As far as over coming his demons, I think he might have had a slight change of heart at the end, when he realized that the little girl had been molested before, but seriously, I thought even more importantly it showed how remote the possibility of child molestors reforming really is.

He had issues with a homosexual molestor and hesitation with an already damaged little girl.

I have trouble seeing that as reform, but instead see it as his own rules regarding his perversion.

I'm not sure though. I did sympathize with him, routed for him to suceed in over coming his issues, but honestly didn't really see it.

I guess that's the point of the movie.

All in all, it's been a long time since a movie brought me to tears, and this one did.

-bear

You know on the other hand, it just might have been that last interaction in the park, where he realized just how damaging his behaviour can be, that created the change?

Maybe?

-bear

That was how I felt when I watched it. Like most people have said, one of his most redeeming factors was that he wanted to change, he didn't want to commit his crime again.

The fact that "candy" was molesting young boys didn't matter, it was a moot point. They were both child molesters and Kevin Bacon's character could see himself in the other guy, and it was a part of himself that he wanted to destroy.