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MovieMail's Review
The independent cinema has always prided itself on tackling topics
otherwise thought to be off-limits, and 2005's tricky subject of choice would appear to be amongst the trickiest of them all: child sex abuse. Heading up Todd Solondz's Palindromes and Gregg Araki's Mysterious Skin is this striking directorial debut by Nicole Kassell, centring on convicted paedophile Walter (Kevin Bacon), newly released from prison on supervised parole and attempting to rebuild a life from scratch. Soon he begins to suspect that a man who hangs around the school opposite his flat may be a paedophile, and he debates whether or not to take action.
You might argue with some of the film's conclusions and evasions, but
it's one of the year's better arguments to have, heightened by water-tight performances from Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick as Walter's girlfriend. Good, too, to see the indie pic, so prone of late to pallor and quirks, with fresh dramatic meat in its mouth. The pederast presented as a human being rather than as a monster is a new one - and obviously a contentious one; but The Woodsman at least acknowledges sex offenders have a heart to begin with, the origin of all our troubles and desires.
Tartan exclusive interviews with Kevin Bacon, Kyra Sedgwich, director Nicole Kassell and executive producer Damon Dash
English Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo, 5.1 Surround and DTS 5.1 Surround.
Film Description
A characteristically brave role for Bacon as he plays a released paedophile who tries to fit back into society. As a film it doesn't shy away from difficult questions and also avoids easy answers in its attempt to understand the man's character and compulsion.
