WOODSMAN, THE
Released: December 24, 2004
Kevin Bacon portrays the character of Walter, a child molester just released from a long prison term on supervised parole. Working in a woodyard (hence the movie's title), he unexpectedly befriends Vicki (Kyra Sedgwick, his real-life wife). Director Nicole Kassell doesn't exactly expect the audience to be sympathetic but neither does she drop Bacon's character into a totally dark pit of problems once released from prison. In fact, Walter is depicted as getting only mild workplace resentment and police pestering. He is sincerely trying to stay on the recovery route and by movie's end there is clear signs of redemption. I didn't expect a totally negative outcome but I thought the bar would be raised a little higher in terms of displaying an ex-con really receiving grief for such nasty crimes. Otherwise, it's a very good film in both performances from the two leads along with support from Mos Def, David Alan Grier, Eve and even Benjamin Bratt, whose character veers into caricature. Props go out to the director, stars and distributer for even tackling such a subject in he first place.
89 Minutes
Newmarket Film Group