|
Preview by: Jack Foley
ONE of many films to have caught the eye at this year’s
Sundance Film Festival, according to reports, was The Woodsman,
starring husband and wife duo, Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick.
The film tells the story of Walter (Bacon), a convicted sexual
abuser of little girls, as he attempts to rebuild his life after
being released from a decade in prison.
Getting a job working in a lumberyard, he then starts a sweet
romance with a woman he meets, named Vickie (Sedgwick).
The film marks the screen-writing debut of Steven Fechter, on
whose play it is based, and first-time director, Nicole Kassell,
and is said to tackle the issues of how a man can overcome his
attraction to young girls, and how he attempts to cure himself
of his obsession and rebuild his life, after being branded a paedophile.
|
 |
The Sundance website claims that ‘director, Nicole Kassell's
astonishing first feature… handles this contentious subject
with confidence, precision, and optimism’.
It adds that the director ‘beautifully visualizes her tender
and meticulously crafted script while eliciting fantastic performances
from her talented cast’.
"Brave, thoroughly confident, and accomplished, The Woodsman
demonstrates a mastery that is astounding for a first effort,"
it concludes.
The film co-stars Benjamin Bratt, as Walter’s brother-in-law,
who welcomes him back with open arms; Mary Kay, as the woodyard
secretary who must keep a watchful eye over her new worker, and
Mos Def, as a detective assigned to monitor Walter’s progress.
It received its world premiere at Sundance, where it was entered
in the dramatic competition, and was one of the hottest tickets
of the event - always a strong indicator of the films to look
out for in the coming year.
The film is being distributed by Lee Daniels Entertainment, the
production company behind the Oscar-winning Monster's Ball.
|
