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The Movie:
 There are some
films that are difficult to watch because they're filled with
intense, gory violence, and there are some films that are
difficult to watch simply because of their subject matter. The
Woodsman is one of the latter. Not only does the film
involve one of the most difficult-to-watch subject matters -
child molestation - but it also contains one of the most
unsettling scenes in recent memory. It may be well crafted and
expertly acted, but the fact remains there is a certain number of
people who simply will not be able to watch the film purely on
the fact that it breaches some very taboo subjects in a very
realistic and painful manner. And, to be completely honest, I
can't blame them.
First-time Director Nicole Kassell rarely pulls punches in The
Woodsman as she tells the story of a convicted child
molester, fresh out of jail, just trying to live his life, go to
work, and be accepted as a changed man. What she lacks in
experience, Kassell makes up for in smart casting nearly all the
way around. Kevin Bacon gives a lifetime performance in a role
that few actors would have even considered taking for fear of it
absolutely killing their career. In every single frame of the
film, Walter looks like a beaten man. His eyes are filled with
anger and resentment at what he's done in the past, and his body
language reveals a man that has spent a long time behind bars
thinking about what he's done. He's suspicious of everyone
(including himself) and rarely lets his guard down. The one time
in the film that he truly does become vulnerable, it doesn't
exactly end well. Bacon is able to capture the despair in his
character in a remarkable way by allowing the audience to
straddle a fine line between feeling sympathy and hatred. And a
scene near the conclusion of the film solidifies this struggle,
as it shows that Walter isn't quite so sure he doesn't hate
himself.
 Aside from
Bacon we have two fine performances from Mos Def and Benjamin
Bratt. Mos Def is slowly becoming an actor to watch, and his
performance in The Woodsman shows that he's just get
better with every role. His laid-back, suspicious detective is
one of the highlights of the film. Bratt plays Walter's
brother-in-law with a guarded sense of hope that Bacon's
character is reformed. He desperately wants his wife to have a
relationship with her brother, but is always wary that it may
never actually happen. There's too much past and too many things
have happened. He knows they can't go back and take it away. Even
David Alan Grier's turn as Walter's boss shows the usually
comedic actor's range.
 Kassell's
casting choices, however, are not all good. Eve's character seems
a bit too heavy for her to handle. Someone a bit more experienced
may have played it with more nuance and depth. Instead, Eve makes
her character come across as a bit too one-note. And despite her
proven acting abilities, the casting of Kyra Sedgwick (Bacon's
real-life wife) does nothing to make the film any better. The
fact that Bacon and Sedgwick share a bed in real-life not only
makes it difficult to understand the obvious shorthand between
them, but it also makes Sedgwick's character seem too simple in
the film. We never see her character really struggle with her
decision to be with Walter. Sure, she flinches a bit when he
tells her of his past indiscretions, and they spend some time
apart throughout the film, but it never really seems like she
disapproves or even questions the fact that they're together. Had
a different played the role, the immediate connection with Bacon
would not have existed, making it much easier to struggle with
his character's past.
The Woodsman, nevertheless, does have its merits. It's
certainly a heart wrenching and difficult film, but a rewarding
one if you can get through it. The chance to see what Walter has
to go through upon his release from prison is incredibly
interesting, and I assume it's probably very close to what it
must be like for someone like that in real life. It raises
several questions about reform, forgiveness, and society's
willingness to look past someone's mistakes and judge them for
who they have become. If the film is any indication of reality,
then I don't expect many convicted sex offenders have it very
easy (nor should they). The fact remains, however, that people do
change and I truly believe that people can reform. The
stigma attached with whatever they've done, on the other hand,
will never go away and they must deal with those consequences for
the rest of their life. Through the perspective of Walter, we get
to see that these people have to deal with these consequences
every single day, in the most subtle and obvious ways.
 For a
first-time director, Nicole Kassell should be applauded for
making a film that provides an absolutely unflinching look at one
of life's most difficult subjects. The Woodsman gives us
a glimpse through the eyes of someone who made a terrible mistake
at one time and, although they want to be forgiven and accepted
by society, isn't quite sure that he can keep from making that
same mistake again. Which all leads up to that very uncomfortable
scene near the end of the film. The Woodsman may not be
a popcorn movie or one that really cries out for repeat viewings,
but if you can handle the subject matter, it's definitely a film
worth seeing at least once.
The DVD
Video:
 The Woodsman
is presented in an anamorphic 1.85:1 format that could have used
a nice clean up. Some leeway should be given to this independent
film, but a quick once-over by Columbia/Tri-Star (now Sony
Pictures Home Entertainment) could have fixed most of the
problems with this transfer. The major problem is the amount of
grain that appears at times throughout the film. Some grain is
surely inherent in the source elements, but there are some
low-light situations that are simply riddled with it to the point
where it's slightly distracting. There are also a fair amount of
dirt, spots, and scratches on the print that could easily have
been cleaned up. On the other hand, flesh tones are accurate and
certain colors do come across as vibrant and bright (the red ball
Walter picks up comes to mind). The film itself, however, has a
very dark tone and muted color palette that is nicely represented
here. Detail is a bit soft at times, but blacks are usually deep
and rich. There are no signs of edge enhancement or halos to
speak of, and overall this is an adequate visual presentation
that could have been much better with a little more care.
Sound:
The audio on this disc is presented in both DTS 5.1 and Dolby
Digital 5.1 formats, which both do a fine job of handling the
demands of the dialogue-heavy soundtrack. The DTS track has a bit
more ambience and a more enveloping feel to it, while the Dolby
Digital track sports slightly higher levels in the center
channel's dialogue. Either way, the differences are negligible,
but my track of choice is the DTS 5.1. Aside from clear, crisp
dialogue, the surround channels mostly work to help bolster the
soundtrack. There aren't really any surround effects to speak of,
and the low-end is mostly quiet throughout, but overall this is a
nicely balanced soundtrack that is more than adequate for a film
like The Woodsman.
Extras:
Along with some great menus on this disc, there are also a few
nice extra features.
 The first, and
best, feature is an audio commentary with Director Nicole
Kassell. She's very chatty and provides a lot of
information about the making of the film and some of its
influences. Kassell stays mostly screen-specific but does take
the time to talk about a few anecdotes from the set. Kassell has
a bit of a monotone voice that makes the track slightly less
entertaining than it probably could have been, but for her first
commentary track, she provides a great deal of useful
information. While she spends a bit too much time simply
explaining what's on the screen, Kassell does a good job of
talking about many different aspects of the film. Nevertheless,
this track is still a worthwhile that ends up being more
informative than entertaining.
Also included on this disc is a 5-minute featurette called "Getting
it Made," which is basically just an interview with
Producer Lee Daniels mixed in with a few brief behind-the-scenes
clips from the film. Daniels tells the basic story of how the
film came together, how it got financed, and some of his highs
and lows throughout the process. He's a bit of a strange
character that speaks softly, but the featurette is a nice,
albeit brief, addition to the film. I only wish it would sound a
bit better and not be quite so short.
We also have one deleted scene and two
extended scenes included on this disc. None of these
scenes contain much of real consequence, but it's interesting to
watch an extended version of what I found to be the most
unsettling scene in the entire film.
Finally, there is the theatrical trailer for The
Woodsman, and seven trailers for A Love
Song for Bobby Long, Boogeyman, D.E.B.S., Imaginary
Heroes, P.S., Silver City, and William
Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice.
Final Thoughts:
 The thing that
really frightens people about sex offenders (and especially child
molesters) is that they often look just like everyone else. They
don't have horns or a tail, and they don't carry around flaming
red pitchforks. Instead, they're normal people that simply have
no moral compass. Can they be reformed in jail and sent back out
into society again? It's a difficult question and I'm not sure,
but that's also not really for me to answer. The only thing most
of us can do is try to put ourselves in that person's shoes and
see what it must be like to live in society after committing a
crime as heinous as child molestation. The Woodsman
doesn't answer explicitly answer these questions either, but it
does at least provide us that very opportunity to see what it
must be like for a convicted sex offender. It's a difficult thing
to watch, but it's also something that most people never get to
see. Based on that - and the fact that we have some nice extra
material included - this disc comes as recommended. The
Woodsman may be controversial and somewhat depressing, but
it's worth watching at least once or twice. |
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