The Woodsman

[rubberducker]

Really good little movie, that tactles the subject matter very intelligently.

Kevin's character is released from prison after years away. It isn't clear what he has done to start with, but soon it becomes clear he has molested several 12 year old girls.

the only place he can get an apartment is outside a primary school, so temptation is always on his doorstep. and just as he starts to get his life together - with a job, a girlfriend etc - his past comes back to haunt him.

i don't want to ruin the film for anyone: but it is full of really taught scenes. Bacon plays the part, as a conflicted man, who just can't help himself - you feel both revoltion and sympathy for him. it would have been really easy to paint him as a black and white charcater that the audience hate, but you really do route for him - and that is bacon's triump.

the second half of the movie left me on the edge of my seat, with some of the most nerve-racking scenes i have seen in years. it is such a well put together little movie.

not sure when it goes out nationally, but i am sure many will miss it because of the slightly forgetable title.

but everyone that can, should go see it....

[Despin]

Hey there.

Yeah I really liked this film. I'm a big Kevin Bacon fan and he is as good as he's ever been in this flick.

I didn't really buy that he would be living over the road from a school. But if you go woth it it's a really powerful movie.

It's weird though.. But in this world where Pedos are "evil scum" I cant see a movie where the "hero" of the movie is a Pedo and is pretty much a good guy ever doing very well finacialy. Which is a shame.

That scene with the little girl in the woods.... Just amazing acting in that scene.

Despin out.

[rubberducker]

The scene in the woods is downright fantastic. the whole will he, won't he thing and then him coming to the realisation of what he is - amazing fucking stuff.

it is a shame that this movie won't make much money. i hope the academy nominate bacon (+ cast and crew), but think the whole pedo thing will scare them off.

[scruffycat]

I didn't really buy that he would be living over the road from a school.

Yeah that does sound a bit wrong. It sounds like a good film though, a couple of people I know who have seen have it said it's definately worth catching.

[rubberducker]

didn't really have a huge problem with him living over the road from a school. although if you wanted to pick holes in the movie you could argue that it wouldn't happen (it has in the past though, when authorities just wouldn't bother checking).

i just think the rest of this movie's brillance far outshines that small part of the story.

[SeanR]

They ask the same question in Empire (the twin cover ROTS edition)

[SeanR]

The scene in the woods is downright fantastic. the whole will he, won't he thing and then him coming to the realisation of what he is - amazing fucking stuff.

it is a shame that this movie won't make much money. i hope the academy nominate bacon (+ cast and crew), but think the whole pedo thing will scare them off.

[Vemsie]

Anybody up for Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon?

[SeanR]

Anybody up for Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon? 

kevin bacon to boris karloff

Boris Karloff was in The Raven (1963) with Jack Nicholson

Jack Nicholson was in A Few Good Men (1992) with Kevin Bacon

[Vemsie]

I knew you'd be the first to reply Sean.

Kevin Bacon to Jean-Claude van Damme. First one to do it gets a virtual cookie.

[SeanR]

I knew you'd be the first to reply Sean.

Kevin Bacon to Jean-Claude van Damme. First one to do it gets a virtual cookie.

Jean-Claude Van Damme was in Last Action Hero (1993) with Colleen Camp

Colleen Camp was in Trapped (2002) with Kevin Bacon

ps. http://oracleofbacon.org/oracle/index.html

[Space Renegade Ulala]

Kevin Bacon to Louise Brooks.

Come on then, let's see it!

[SeanR]

Kevin Bacon to Louise Brooks.

Come on then, let's see it!

Louise Brooks was in Louise Brooks: Looking for Lulu (1998) with Roddy McDowall

Roddy McDowall was in Big Picture, The (1989) with Kevin Bacon

[StephenM]

Ushering this at my local independant cinema in a couple of months when we finally get it - looking forward to it immensely already! It was only a few weeks ago I was talking to my girlfriend about how there should be a film where the subject is treated in a way that isn't as simplified as 'This is evil!' - seems like this could be it!

[Space Renegade Ulala]

Louise Brooks was in Louise Brooks: Looking for Lulu (1998) with Roddy McDowall

Roddy McDowall was in Big Picture, The (1989) with Kevin Bacon

You massively jammy bastard. I bet you looked it up though, right?

[nausea]

i saw the woodsman yesterday and it was brilliant. easily the best movie i've seen in months.

the acting, directing, story, the script, how it's shot, everything is pure quality.

it really makes you think about stuff.

this movie will stay on my mind for a long time.

the scene in the woods was really intense.

kevin bacon does his best acting ever in my opinion, he really shines here. the portrait he's giving of walter is nothing but blinding. he should be nominated for an oscar, at least..

film at it's best.

[George Clooney]

Did anyone read the news of the world this week? They had this in it (at least, I think it was them) reviewed by the mother of Sarah Payne (at least, I think that's her name - my memeory has decided to go crap at the moment - it was the little girl killed by a peadophile though). Needless to say, it was a hate filled attack on the film and the people who made it, with phrases like "I feel pity for the people who wasted their money making a worthless film like this" and "At one point Bacon asks "when will I be normal again?" and I screamed at him "NEVER! YOU WILL NEVER BE NORMAL!!" and the obligatory "people like him deserve to rot in hell for the rest of his life!". On the one hand, I understand that she has a lot of hate for these people, and you cant really blame her. But on the other hand, the whole article seemed like a publicity stunt, another crusade for the Sun to go on (or in this case, continue) so it can self promote itself even further.

[picto]

I read that issue of the NOTW, I concluded it was worse than the Sun.

She hardly seemed like the best choice to comment on a film about paedophiles and probably doesn't care about any othersides to the story. Very sensationalist.

I look forward to someone else's review of it where they complain about a crazy woman screaming at the screen.

[rubberducker]

Did anyone read the news of the world this week? They had this in it (at least, I think it was them) reviewed by the mother of Sarah Payne (at least, I think that's her name - my memeory has decided to go crap at the moment - it was the little girl killed by a peadophile though). Needless to say, it was a hate filled attack on the film and the people who made it, with phrases like "I feel pity for the people who wasted their money making a worthless film like this" and "At one point Bacon asks "when will I be normal again?" and I screamed at him "NEVER! YOU WILL NEVER BE NORMAL!!" and the obligatory "people like him deserve to rot in hell for the rest of his life!". On the one hand, I understand that she has a lot of hate for these people, and you cant really blame her. But on the other hand, the whole article seemed like a publicity stunt, another crusade for the Sun to go on (or in this case, continue) so it can self promote itself even further.

well atleast the film might make a bit more money, with the free exposure provided by that shite rag.

[George Clooney]

well atleast the film might make a bit more money, with the free exposure provided by that shite rag.

It'll probably be angry sun readers that and up burning Kevin Bacon for being a peado.

EDIT: Not that he is, they'd just think he was...what with them being stupid and everthing.

[Salsa Party Animal]

Kevin Bacon have a habit of playing as nasty people in movies realistic and that is his strength in acting.

I think there is a film called Sleepers with Robert De Niro in it, Kevin Bacon play a evil prision warden for young troubled teenagers and he do things like rape a young boy and stuff like that.

[Cheeko]

Some of the reviews I've seen/read/heard about this film have really pissed me off. Why do people go so over the top because of its particular subject matter as far as to disregard the entire film for the sake of their own pre-conceived ideas.

One review said the whole film was a joke because it was never explained how he ended up living across from the playground. At the start of the film is clearly points out that its the only place in town that'll take his money and its just outside the required distance of 320feet or whatever it was to the gate.

All in I thought this was a superb film, that's very sensitively made. I didn't even resent the 8.20 it cost for the cinema ticket which had I seen anything else I would have been pretty annoyed about.

[Jennie]

This is one movie that I am very glad to have seen. Best acting I have seen in quite a while.

It was heartbreaking, thought provoking and had me hooked.

Go see this film.

[Lovelyman]

Right you bastards. Because of you I'm wasting £14 at the bloody UChavI tonight.

[StephenM]

Ushering this tonight at my local indie - had to wait a while for it to come there but hey, it's free

It had best be good, I'll no doubt post some thoughts afterwards.

...Why did I post this?

[linkster]

Really good in places. I was expecting a much tougher watch. The idea of what happens to these people in society is an interesting one and I daresay rarely has a happy ending. Finding an attractive girlfriend so quickly is a little too much, and the ending with that beating again was unnecessary I thought. But the bench scene was outstanding, and that cop was one nasty SOB, good actor too.

[DirkCrisis]

Necro bump!

This was on Film 4 earlier in the week and I got round to watching it last night.

Muted is probably the best way to describe it.

You could see Kevin Bacon trying not to make mistakes but the act of pushing people away, was baiting people and drawing them to him.

I'd echo the sentiments of the bench scene being the high point. I also liked the bits with the Therapist where they were searching for the definition of what a "normal" life was.

I guess there could have been more violence, more people hounding him and being disgusted by his past actions but I'm glad to see they restrained themselves to a degree at least.

[John0]

Watched this over the weekend. Thought it was very, very good. Engrossing throughout. Was only slightly disappointed by the ending. It appears that Bacon's character is, in some small part at least, "cured" by his conversation with the girl on the park bench. And then does his good deed by breaking the jaw of another pedophile. I just wonder how true to life something like that is.. and thought that it slightly jarred with the rest of the excellent and unflinching storyline. Nonetheless, highly recommended and on Netflix UK.