dir. Nicole Kassell
Kevin Bacon, Kyra Sedgwick, Mos Def, David Alan Grier, Benjamin Bratt, Eve
Reintegrating yourself into society as an ex-con is always dicey. Reintegrating yourself as an ex-con for child molestation is even worse. Walter (Bacon) wants to be normal again - despite all the enormous odds and bias stacked against his kind. Not only does he have to deal with stereotyping at work (outing him as a registered sex offender) and with his relationships (with his estranged sister and with a blossoming affair with a co-worker), he also has his inner demons to contend with. Mos Def is revealing as his parole officer - exuding humor, menace and humanity in appropriate moments - who inadvertently inspires him to shred those demons as a 'woodsman' - the axe guy who saves little Red Riding Hood (nice allusion). When Walter tests himself and comes out on top, you exhale along with him in relief. Director Kassell wisely plays the minimalist card, and let the sparse dialogues and effective monologues carry the movie (given its sensitive subject matter). Bacon lays out a performance at par or even better with his previous acting gems (Sleepers, Mystic River, Murder In the First). Will somebody give this guy an Oscar already?
"its so unfair - i'm almost 50. Will they ever forget 'Footloose'?"
1 comment:
We'll give him an Oscar only of he promises to quit singing.
--- The Academy
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