Disappointing! A decent but empty drama that is too short. I thought I would like it much more. Bacon was "good," but not amazing, and after seeing the movie I don't care that he didn't get an Oscar nom and it's not quite as surprising now. Although I'd rather have seen him nominated and win over nominees like Jamie Foxx, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Johnny Depp.

This has got nothing on MONSTER, which was far, far, far superior.

Grade: 6/10 (B-)

B+


The Woodsman deals with Walter (Kevin Bacon), a pedophile released from prison after a 12-years sentence for molestation of a girl. He tries to start his life anew, while being rejected by everyone who knows about his past, except for his brother-in-law (Benjamin Bratt) and the co-worker at the lumberyard where he foiund work, Vickie (Kyra Sedgwick). Moreover, Walter has to fight the urges arising in him once again when he befriends a 12-year-old girl in a park.


The Woodmas tackles on a very very difficult subject. Anyone who thinks that Brokeback Mountain is daring in its subject, should try and see this movie. The movie tries to portray a former pedophile as a human being who simply struggles against the urges he cannot stop. The Woodsman is not a movie for everyone and it carries a deeply depressing tone to it, but it is worth a look certainly and it does stand as one of the most underated movies of 2004. The flick lives compltely off Kevin Bacon's masterful performance, his career-best. He was obviously snubbed for a Best Actor nomination at the Oscars, in my opinion as his portrayal of Walter is haunting and tragic at the same time.

Despite the short running time, the movie does seem to have some empty spots every now and then and some things are left a bit too unlcear at the end, but ultimately the movie stands as a great psychological character study with an excellent performance by the lead.