Mud DVD review

Jeff Nichols, the indie sensation from Take Shelter fame, is back with a purely American piece of cinema. This is far less inventive and fresh than his first feature and feels very much like the distant cousin of Stand By Me. However, the central performance by Matthew McConaughey as the eponymous Mud is what elevates this into a captivating piece of cinema that has become far too rare in America…

We see the film through the eyes of Ellis and Neckbone, two teenage boys who during the summer venture to a deserted island where they find a boat mysteriously placed up in the trees. They plan to create their own treehouse in their personal escapist paradise when they discover something quite alarming up there. They find food, belongings and adult magazines – not the type of things that are usually in abundance on a deserted island. They belong to Mud, a grizzled man that you can’t decide is threatening or caring, or both depending on his company. But Mud likes kids and he essentially becomes their secret father and the two boys are enamoured by him.

A brilliantly charismatic presence, McConaughey is the heartbeat of the film and the way he can appear menacing and charming at the same time is fascinating to watch. Along with his performances in Killer Joe, Magic Mike, The Lincoln Lawyer and The Paperboy, Mud solidifies his position as one of the premier actors in the English language.

But back in the real world, far more sinister things are in play. Mud revealed to the boys his dark past and love for the exquisitely named Juniper (Reese Withersoon), but not the fact that he is wanted by the law and a vengeful father. The boys see Mud’s face on a wanted poster and a series of unfortunate events take the film into much dark and more sinister territory…. A fascinating film to watch. McConaughey continues to improve as an actor and has become a revelation after wallowing in rom-coms for so long.

Sam Moore