Mud

An intelligent and incredibly mature film about people who think more about others than themselves. That the current redneck gang hates it, it’s just another proof of it. An excellent movie, and another superb work after Take Shelter. Standing ovation for Jeff Nichols, Matthew McConaughey and, in particular, the excellent child actors. (06/08/2013)

Water is wet, the sky is blue, women have secrets, men are under pressure and the concept of good is relative. Who would be upset with that? Certainly not nature. The impressiveness of Nichols’s retelling of the adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer paradoxically lies in how little Mud differs from those classic works. At its (easily accessible) core, it is a simple, guilelessly straightforward story with characters who have a lot of time to talk. However, modern cinema teaches us to see such old-fashioned user-friendliness as some sort of betrayal. But this film is magical because it doesn’t try to betray us. Imagine a story from the ranks of those that fathers will tell to their sons as the greatest boy’s adventure of their childhood. The child’s perspective is not maintained too consistently, some of the young protagonists’ dialogue couldn’t be heard, and it isn’t confronted with an adult perspective as in Stand by Me. It all the more wants us to return to childhood in our thinking, to the time of becoming intensely aware of the opposite sex, the world of adults, the laws of nature…. Only then can we see the mythological quality of such an outwardly simple narrative, adapted to today particularly by removing the didactic subtext and relativisation of positive role models. Ellis and Neckbone go on the same journey as so many boys before them, except their bond with nature is stronger thanks to the setting. They aren’t apathetic like urban youths; they sensitively perceive what is going on around them, just as the camera takes in a running spider here, birds in flight there. The fact that it is sometimes wise to focus attention on the details becomes apparent in during the episode with snakes. Ellis and Neckbone only seemingly didn’t experience anything major. In fact, the encounter with the impenetrable guy who spouts Indian wisdom turns their view of the world upside down. Nichols doles out hints of the fundamental change that will happen in their lives by very carefully raising the stakes. Perhaps too carefully and subtly. If the narrative were not rhythmised with musical interludes, it wouldn’t be a hypnotically slow spectacle, but just tiresome. Nichols doesn’t make this film a coming-of-age story or employ a different clearly defined theme at all costs. He leaves it open to multiple possible interpretations, which prevents Mud from slipping into banality. We can take the dialogue both literally and allegorically (a lot of trash washes up from the river, the boat was launched). The atypical names of the characters (Juniper, King, May Pearl) also have mythological resonance. Of no less importance, the dual meaning corresponds to the parallel development of the children’s and adults’ versions of the same story. Perhaps childishly simple, but told in an adult way. 75% (24/04/2014)

A movie with a heart. A beautiful story about friendship, love, fathers and sons. The message behind it that women are bitches, but still it’s worth fighting for the right to be like that couldn’t be clearer. The Hicksville USA atmosphere is engrossing and Matthew is convincing in the main role. He has grown incredibly as an actor. The boys are also superbly cast. One of the most powerful movie experiences of this year. (13/09/2013)

The first girl, the first kiss, a murderer on the run, an ageing retired sniper – in short, all the usual things in a teenage boy's life. After the brilliant Take Shelter and this enjoyable piece now, we should keep an eye on the talented Jeff Nichols. Mud isn't nearly as great as Nichols's previous film, but it's pleasantly sober, the narrative flows as slowly as the river by which the story takes place, it doesn't rely on shocking twists and eye-popping moments, though perhaps I could have done without the final gunfight. Plus my favorite occasional (non)actor and playwright Sam Shepard, a great kid lead in Tye Sharidan (if he sticks with it, he's got a big future ahead of him), a believable McConaughey (who's already buried his surfboard ten fathoms under the sand for good), and Nichols's court actor Michael Shannon in what's probably his first normal role :o) A likeable indie effort, keep it up, Jeff. (11/08/2013)

A sensitive indie relationship drama, emotionally polished to the smallest detail. Nichols confirms that he knows how to tell these subtle, understated stories and that Take Shelter was no accident. The marketing gravitates to McConaughey, but the lead is a fantastic performance by Tye Sheridan. A story about right values, fateful decisions and growing up – Mud offers all this in an interesting filmmaking mix without unnecessary shaky effects or eye-candy shots. (17/07/2021)