Review of Mud (2013) by Hoops2448 — 26 Aug 2013

Matthew McConaghay's previous foray into the lives of people in southern USA was the distressing and pointless Killer Joe. Mud takes a different track by presenting the characters lives as their choice and where they want to be.

When Ellis (Tye Sheridan) and Neckbone (Jacob Lofland) find a boat in the middle of a small island they discover Mud (McConaghay), a man waiting for his girlfriend Juniper (Reese Witherspoon) who has promised to meet him.

While structured like a pretty conventional revenge story, Mud is really a tale about sons and fathers and the women who control them. Directed by Jeff Nichols, Mud is a film about the beauty of a simple life and the kindness and humanity that comes with this kind of community.

Mud is really the tale of Ellis, a smooth talking yet naive young boy who relates to Mud because of their complex relationships with their fathers. The film is filled with sharply written and well acted characters with McConaghay and Witherspoon being a terrific tragic pairing as the true reason for Mud's banishment becomes apparent, the two get better and better.

Sheridan is a brilliant new find and brings out all of Ellis' growing pains wonderfully. The film rides on the relationship between Ellis and Mud and the two mesh well together as they form an almost brotherly bond.

Ultimately its a beautifully performed and filmed picture that displays the beauty of living on the river and of living in a world of your own where the odd is strangely normal and people like Mud fortunately exist.