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The Woodsman A Lackluster Bore from Start to Finish

By Amy Delong, published Jan 09, 2006
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Rating: 3.1 of 5
Nicole Kassell's first major film depicts Kevin Bacon as Walter, a pedophile recently released from prison after 12 years, who moves back to his hometown and attempts to start a new life. 

The film co-stars Kyra Sedgwick as Vickie, whose walking anti-male chauvinist cliché could make Ingrid Newkirk recoil in fear and cover her testicles. David Alan Grier also stars as Walter's boss. I don't have much to say about his character, since he speaks only three times in the entire movie. 

Before I review this film, I'd like to go ahead and say I hate everyone in it. I absolutely despise every single person on the cast. It was as if they took my top 10 worst actors and put them in a movie together. I foretell biased ranting.

Shortly after Walter is released, he gets a job at a lumberyard, and an apartment, which conveniently is across the street from an elementary school. I fail to see the logic in this, but apparently his landlord is an illiterate, drooling moron. Walter plays the "creepy guy who doesn't say a word because he is a pedophile" gimmick to aT, which offends some of his coworkers. 

Shortly after he gets settled in to his job, he meets Vickie, a woman with testical fortitude who isn't afraid to speak up for herself. This concept is tired and old, and only amplifies my hatred for Kyra Sedgwick. The experience as follows is Walter's attempt to get his life back together with the help of Vickie and no one else.

The entire plot is boring, contrived and Nicole's inexperience shows. I often felt like I was being spoonfed filmschool-dropout lackluster morals and scenarios, if only to get the point across that pedophiles have feelings. The movie's pacing is awful, and coincidentally stars two musical rappers - Mos Def and Eve - who will surely bring the MTV crowd to the stands. 

Takeaways
  • Nicole Kassel is a poor director
  • Kevin Bacon's best acting to date
  • Mos Def surprises me with his performance
Comments
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I totally disagree with every negative comment made in this review. The film has a wonderfully emotional script backed by excellent acting, the pacing befits this type of movie eloquently and lighting/cinematography ads to the overall depressing nature of this film. It is a hard drama, that does not take sides nor does it make light of the subject matter. Nicole does a great job at the helm in her first feature and i look forward to more from her. I give it five stars and have recommended it to those who appreciate this type of film.

Posted on 09/29/2006 at 3:09:00 PM

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