Mud Review

I've always heard the one thing you never call someone is mud, so I feel conflicted. Mud is the new movie by one of my favorite new directors Jeff Nichols. This will be Nichols third movie, the first being Shotgun Stories (one my top 10 2008), then Take Shelter (my pick for the best movie of 2011), and now Mud. The film is a coming of age movie starring Matthew McConaughey. It follows the stories of two young boys from Arkansas who here rumors about a boat stuck up in some trees on a small island in the Mississippi river. Once out there they discover that someone is living there, they come across a guy camped out on the island known only as Mud. He's been there for a while and says he's waiting to run away with his girlfriend Juniper. The boys soon discover that Mud is a wanted man, so they confront Mud about it. He tells them that he killed Junipers abusive ex- boyfriend, who got her pregnant then pushed her down the stairs which made her lose the baby as well as any chance of having children. Mud recruits the boys to help him fix up the old boat to get out of the state. The only problem is that the family of the man he killed is gunning for him. Now Mud's biggest worry is whether or not he'll make it out alive. Mud feels like something straight out of a Mark Twain novel, when people think of American movies Mud encompasses that better than any movie in recent memory. It has it all: hope, despair, love, heart break, comedy, tragedy, everything. That's what I love about director Jeff Nichols, these are the types of movies he excels that. He puts more emotion in five minutes than most movies have in their entire run time. Nichols captures the American essence, whether it be the well off middle class in Take Shelter or the bottom of the rung back woods rednecks of Shotgun Stories and Mud. There isn't a director alive that does the same style better than him. While the kids in the movie are the ones that get the most screen time, it is McConaughey who steals the show. This is unquestionably the best performance he has ever given; there isn't even a close number two. I would be amazed if he doesn't at least get a best actor nomination. But not to be out done, the kids in the movie perform their parts perfectly. One thing that caught my attention right off the bat was the cinematography, just the way it's shot really shows what this movies about and how these characters live their daily lives. Mud reminds me a lot of A Place Beyond the Pines, there's just something special about it that makes it truly amazing. Jeff Nichols really out did himself with this movie; I would be so bold to say this is his best movie. I know it's early in the year but I really hope this movie gets a couple Oscar nominations. Mud is one of the best movies I've seen in years, and I assure you I will mention it again on my "best of the year" list.  

5/5 Stars