I usually write my reviews without spoilers but I felt a need to include one in this review, marked as a spoiler towards the end.
The Woodsman was a very dramatic movie about a pedophile named Walter (Kevin Bacon) who is released from prison after serving his 12 year sentence. Walter constantly has to check in with his parole officer, Sgt. Lucas (Mos Def), who has no respect for Walter and it shows. Walter's challenge is to start a new life without picking up from the old one. He is given a job as a favor and attempts to keep his secret away from his co-workers and everyone else. Also, Walter tries to reconcile with his family, more specifically, his sister with her husband and daughters. I would be a little leery of that as well.
I want to be completely honest about this movie and the truth is, I felt I might as well have been watching a real pedophile trying to pick up on a little girl. I can sit through the worst horror movies ever made and never flinch but this movie made my stomach churn. It seemed Nicole Kassell, the director, was trying to paint a sympathetic view towards Walter, just because he has served his time in prison.
The subject matter of this film is something I have always tried to stay away from. Movies like Gacy, etc., have never piqued my interest and, to be honest, I am not sure why this one did but I was never at ease while watching it.
I can even admit that maybe I am not mature enough for this sort of thing. I hope I never am. **MINOR SPOILER** I really did not like watching Walter ask the little girl if she would sit on his lap in the park. Bacon's acting was good but a little too much for me. **END SPOILER**
I can give credit to Kevin Bacon for attempting a role such as this. He played it a little to well I suppose and really looked like he was struggling. His supporting cast consisting of Kyra Sedgwick, Mos Def, David Alan Grier, Eve and Benjamin Bratt all did fine jobs as well. This just was not my kind of movie. I really do not think it should be anybody's type of movie but I can understand, sort of, why some people would want to watch it. I am just not one of them and am sorry I picked this rental up. I can not recommend this one.
The Woodsman was a very dramatic movie about a pedophile named Walter (Kevin Bacon) who is released from prison after serving his 12 year sentence. Walter constantly has to check in with his parole officer, Sgt. Lucas (Mos Def), who has no respect for Walter and it shows. Walter's challenge is to start a new life without picking up from the old one. He is given a job as a favor and attempts to keep his secret away from his co-workers and everyone else. Also, Walter tries to reconcile with his family, more specifically, his sister with her husband and daughters. I would be a little leery of that as well.
I want to be completely honest about this movie and the truth is, I felt I might as well have been watching a real pedophile trying to pick up on a little girl. I can sit through the worst horror movies ever made and never flinch but this movie made my stomach churn. It seemed Nicole Kassell, the director, was trying to paint a sympathetic view towards Walter, just because he has served his time in prison.
The subject matter of this film is something I have always tried to stay away from. Movies like Gacy, etc., have never piqued my interest and, to be honest, I am not sure why this one did but I was never at ease while watching it.
I can even admit that maybe I am not mature enough for this sort of thing. I hope I never am. **MINOR SPOILER** I really did not like watching Walter ask the little girl if she would sit on his lap in the park. Bacon's acting was good but a little too much for me. **END SPOILER**
I can give credit to Kevin Bacon for attempting a role such as this. He played it a little to well I suppose and really looked like he was struggling. His supporting cast consisting of Kyra Sedgwick, Mos Def, David Alan Grier, Eve and Benjamin Bratt all did fine jobs as well. This just was not my kind of movie. I really do not think it should be anybody's type of movie but I can understand, sort of, why some people would want to watch it. I am just not one of them and am sorry I picked this rental up. I can not recommend this one.