Mud

UK Release Date. 10 May 2013
Certification. 12A

Running Time. 2 hours 10 mins
Director. Jeff Nichols
Cast. Jacob Lofland, Matthew McConaughey, Ray McKinnon, Sarah Paulson, Michael Shannon, Sam Shepard, Tye Sheridan, Reese Witherspoon.

Rating. 72%

Review.

Much of Mud takes place on a seemingly deserted island in the Mississippi River and other backwater locations of Arkansas. This is the land of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn and Jeff Nichols' charming coming-of-age drama is inherently influenced by Mark Twain's American literary classic. 

A career retrospective would suggest that the 2010s saw Matthew McConaughey re-invent himself as an actor. Gone are the saccharine-sweet romantic comedies of the previous decade (The Wedding Planner, How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days, Failure To Launch and Ghosts of Girlfriends Past) to be replaced by a series of films that offered McConaughey roles set to challenge him as an artist - the likes of Killer Joe, The Paperboy, Dallas Buyers Club, Interstellar, The Sea Of Trees and White Boy Rick. Mud is another example that contributes to McConaughey's evolution as an actor. He does not disappoint, bringing depth to the character of Mud in a memorable performance.

It is easy to see why the young, impressionable Ellis (Tye Sheridan) is drawn towards the magnetic and charismatic Mud, one of the only adult characters portrayed with enthusiasm and a steadfast belief in the power of love. As the relationship develops the events of Ellis' own life reflect that of Mud's to the extent that Mud potentially becomes a future projection of the man Ellis may become.

Perhaps Mud is unnecessarily protracted, and the film is certainly unevenly paced. The film has a couple of undeveloped subplots, most notably the friction between Ellis' parents and several underwritten characters, in particular Galen (Michael Shannon), who despite an intriguing performance, adds little to the storyline.

Mud is effective as an adventure story, a crime thriller and a coming-of-age drama, but fundamentally, Mud remains a film about childhood friendship, first love and a teenage boy's transition to adulthood.