MUD - Review

Mud

2 hours, 10 minutes

Drama, 2013

Written and Directed by Jeff Nichols

Starring

Tye Sheridan

Matthew McConaughey

Jacob Lofland

Reese Witherspoon

Michael Shannon

Sam Shepard

Stuart Greer

Sarah Paulson

"Go get your tip wet."

I just want to say this right off the bat: this ain't the Matthew McConaughey show like the trailer might have you believe, no sir. This is the Tye Sheridan show. 

Never heard of him? You're about to. 

Mud is the story of a couple of kids in Arkansas who one day discover a boat stuck in a tree. How it got there, no one knows. Soon after they meet a man who goes by the name of Mud, played by McConaughey. They quickly find out that Mud is not quite what he seems to be, and the boys find themselves in a world of danger. 

Keep in mind that this isn't an action or dark drama like the poster or trailer would have you believe. If anything, it's a coming of age story for the two young boys. Tye Sheridan takes the lead role in this movie, and holy-fucking-shit is this kid good. He's got some great acting chops for a 16 year old. He pretty much carries the entire movie. The performances around him are pretty great as well. McConaughey is fantastic, Witherspoon makes good use of her screen time, and Jacob Lofland, the other kid, has some pretty funny moments. I would've liked to see more of Michael Shannon who felt like he was just kind of there for comic relief.
Overall, Mud is an exceptional third outing for director Mike Nichols. Much like his other works, the story plays out like a novel, and you can actually see this playing out like an adapted screenplay. It does seem a bit lengthy at times, but it's like reading a book. It's a wonderful coming-of-age story, and I expect to see a lot of Mud in the far off awards season, as well as great things in store for young Tye Sheridan.

9.6/10