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Saturday, June 22, 2013

Mud

So where to begin? Here we have a movie that really no one has even heard about and yet I was dying to see it. Mainly because it was an indie film and indie films tend to be better than regular films. It didn't hurt that it had a 100 percent on Rotten Tomatoes up until last week. For the first 10 minutes I knew it was going to be good. The story of two young boys who find a boat up in a tree on an abandoned island near their home in Mississippi. Hey immediately begin to wonder how to get out of the tree so they can have it. What they soon realised was someone was living in that boat and this is where the story is very very interesting. Enter Mud, played by Matthew McConaughey. Mud is a very interesting fellow, and from the moment they met him, the boys are not quite sure about him. All the boys know is this is strange man jettisoned out on an island, living in a boat with nothing more than the clothes on his back.  mud immediately asked these boys for help and though Neckbone (great nickname) did not want to help, but Ellis had different thoughts. Mud needs food and Ellis is a kind boy who wants to help. As the story unfolds and we learn more about Mud and all his interesting theologies, all we really care about is Ellis and his life. We become very invested in his story and his convictions. This is a 14 year old boy who has never had anything. He works with his Dad for very little, they live on the river, and nothing seems that interesting until Mud. Mud gives these boys things to do, but they don't know why. When Mud comes clean as to what he is doing there, the story gets very intense. In a film with Sam Shepard, McConaughey, and Reese Witherspoon, these two nubie actors steal the show. A very interesting film that is very well put together, and though at times not much seems to be going on, we are very invested. That is the sign of a great film. The last 15 minutes are some of the most riveting theatre rocking I have done in quite a while. When it was over, it did not turn out how I expected. It was better. This is a very easy movie to watch because there is so much mystery behind the lead characters, we are constantly hanging on for more details, and as those details evolve, we are glad we took the time to watch a movie no one has heard about.
NBM rates Mud - Phenomenal