There’s a lot going on in this overly long drama set in Arkansas along the banks of the Mississippi River. Here, people live, thrive, suffer, and die by what goes into and comes out of the water. Indeed that’s the case for 14-year-old Ellis (Tye Sheridan), a sweetly romantic lad whose parents are on the brink of divorce. If that happens, his family will lose their home, a humble house boat that until now has offered the boy safety and stability.
A Fugitive From the Law
His world changes drastically when he meets Mud (Matthew McConaughey), a rugged and charismatic low-life who has taken shelter in an abandoned boat on a remote island. Ellis and his best friend, Neckbone (Jacob Lofland), meet Mud during one of their adventures when they discover the boat stuck in a tree. “A boat in a tree is a hell of a thing,” Mud tells them. He does have a point.
Their plans to claim ownership of the boat are thwarted when Mud informs him he’s already living in it – at least for a while until his girlfriend, Juniper (a tattooed and trashy-looking Reese Whitherspoon), and he reunite. As the boys help Mud by providing food and delivering messages to Juniper, they learn more about the personal history of the mysterious man they have pledged to aid. As you might expect, most of what they learn is not exactly flattering.
Strong Cast and Touching Story
McConaughey inhabits his character as surely as Mud inhabits the boat – completely, sincerely, and temporarily. With his dental appliance, tattoos, and grungy appearance, viewers may forget it’s McConaughey, that is, until he inevitably bares his six-pack abs by removing his shirt near the end of the movie. The supporting cast is excellent, and in a touching and nuanced performance, Sheridan fully convinces us of Ellis’s intelligence, innocence, and innate goodness. His final scene says so much with so little.
Though tighter editing would have improved the film, this satisfying drama captures a unique sense of place, while fully exploring a smaller story (Ellis’s coming of age) within a larger story (Mud as a catalyst to stir up trouble for everyone).
Mud
- Two teenaged boys in rural Arkansas befriend a fugitive living on a remote island.
- Starring Matthew McConaughey, Tye Sheridan, Jacob Lofland, Reese Witherspoon, Sarah Paulson, Ray McKinnon, Sam Shepard, Michael Shannon, Joe Don Baker
- Writer-Director: Jeff Nichols
- Genre: Drama
- Run Time: 130 minutes
- MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for some violence, sexual references, language, thematic elements, and smoking)
- Additional Information: Florida premiere at the 2013 Florida Film Festival.