No. 66 The Woodsman (2004) 22 of 100

 

I’ve cobbled this review from my earlier definite article blog review as there’s no point in rewriting my plot summary when it’s still the same 4 years later. New Shannon notes added for this re-watch!

It’s a brave choice to have a convicted paedophile as your protagonist especially when it’s a self confessed one like Walter, who still has the urge.

Walter has zero degrees of Kevin Bacon and we meet him as he’s discharged from prison from a 12 year stretch for child molestation. He picks up his old job at a woodworking factory with his former boss’s son letting him know he needs to keep it zipped up.

Walter also checks in with his therapist, our favourite Michael Shannon, and gets visited by slow talking cop Mos Def, who doesn’t believe that Walter, or indeed any kiddie fiddler, is capable of being reformed.

The woodworking shop seems a great place to work, as the creepy Walter quickly gets two ladies coming onto him. He rebuffs the first’s offer of a chicken sandwich but ends up in bed with the second, Bacon’s real life wife Kyra Sedgwick. He has made the right choice, but the spurned chicken sandwich lady makes trouble for Walter by letting his past be known to all.

Strangely Walter’s new flat looks onto a children’s play park, but it is just the correct number of feet from him to be deemed safe. It also lets him watch the children and a suspect bloke he christens ’Candy’ who is taking an unnatural interest in the little boys - takes one to know one is clearly the message.

Walter’s relationship takes a stumble when he confesses to Kyra about his past but they get back together when he reveals details of his sordid activities - having little girls sit on you lap apparently isn’t so bad. Can Walter escape his urges and will he turn from villain to hero as Candy graduates from sweetie distribution to full on molesting?

This was a difficult film to watch, with some uncomfortable scenes, but overall it was excellent and thought provoking. I liked how Walter wasn’t drawn in black and white and Bacon did well showing his character struggling with his urges. At first we thought he’d reformed but there was a scene near the end where he skirts close to the edge which will have you watching it through your fingers.

Shannon was underused and wore a bad wig and a questionable cardigan. We heard him before we saw him and often his questions to Bacon were heard over other scenes – I’m guessing the director thought too much of them talking in Shannon’s office would be dull. His part is really just a sounding board for Bacon’s character and you get the sense that Shannon's involvement was a one day on set affair. Shannon is fine though and it’s parts like this that probably cemented him as a jobbing character actor before bigger calls started coming in.

I didn’t buy Mos Def as the cynical detective but he did have Bacon’s number from the off. The film could have gone a couple of ways, but I liked the outcome and the hope for redemption. ‘The Woodsman’ of the title is the man who frees the children from the wolf’s stomach in the fairy tale – the question the film poses is, is Walter the axe man or the wolf?

The lines drawn weren’t clear and, although a self confessed nonce, you still retained some sympathy for Walter and his unhealthy struggles, which is testament to the quality of the writing and the sizzling performance from Bacon.

Not an easy watch, but a worthwhile and thought provoking one.

When is Shannon-On? - 10.04

Outcome? Still working away with probationers

Film 3.5/5

Shannon Stars 3/5