I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

Good movie but grossly overrated

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

Granted, Mysterious Skin looks at the issue of pedophilia and child abuse from the perspective of the victims, while this film looks at the struggle of the offender, however...This film really lacked the depth that MS goes into in exploring the devastating ramifications of child abuse, and generally in the realness of its characterizations. It felt very Hollywood in imposing a redemption plot - kind of rendering the taboo topic kind of generic and usual.While the film does not in any way apologize for the past deeds of its protagonist, In applying a kind of 'hero's journey' structure, it - by implication - turns the protagonist into a quasi-hero. This is particularly evident in the climactic scene where Walter beats up the other offender, Candy. I just didn't believe this would be something Walter's character would do, and it felt like a contrived attempt to redeem Walter's character and make him more palatable to mainstream audiences.I enjoyed the performances in this film and it was really nice and unexpected watching Kevin Bacon embarking on this kind of challenging role.However, for me it's a 7 at best.

Kevin Bacon is excellent as Walter, an adult who returns to his hometown after a dozen years in prison. Although we don't know it at first, he's a convicted child molester, who's now doing his best to put his disgusting past behind him. He keeps to himself, trying to live his life in peace. A tough co-worker, Vicki (Kyra Sedgwick, a.k.a. Mrs. Kevin Bacon) who herself has a traumatic past, attempts to make a connection with him. One other person who'll give him the time of day is his brother-in-law Carlos (Benjamin Bratt); the main thorn in his side is a detective named Sergeant Lucas (Mos Def) who subscribes to that theory that "a leopard doesn't change his spots".A film like "The Woodsman" is going to be a hard slog for some people, especially if they've dealt with abuse in any way in their lives. They may find intolerable the idea of a story with a sex offender as the main character, particularly a story where even if the main character isn't treated as sympathetic, he's not demonized either. As we can see, Walter's just trying to live his life, for the most part. He's not exactly "cured", unsurprisingly, as we see him following girls and trying to strike up conversation with a solitary youngster, Robin (Hannah Pilkes). Walter, perhaps fatefully, has found an apartment near a playground, and he can recognize the predatory nature of another local character (Kevin Rice). He also seems to recognize something unnatural about Carlos' affection for his own daughter.Director Nicole Kassell scripted with Steven Fechter, upon whose play this was based. She seldom indulges in any sort of visual flourishes, instead giving the material believability and a gritty reality. She gets low key and compelling performances out of her entire cast. Bacon is extremely well supported by Sedgwick, Mos Def, David Alan Grier and Eve as co-workers, and Michael Shannon as a therapist.The reality of who Walter is as a person is never denied, but in the end you feel like he's turning a corner and a sense of hope is created.Eight out of 10.

I think this film does broaden understanding of the extremely difficult issue of pedophilia.The story is extremely well told. Kevin Bacon is superb as the main character, Walter, a man with a pedophile past who has come out of prison and is trying to get his life together.The plot has some unexpected turns and is surprisingly neatly tied up at the end.This film respects its audience, we are never spoon fed the storyline or told how to respond to the characters.The world the characters inhabit is very real.Walter's struggle with his sexual desire is a little like a drug addition. There is a point in the film where things are going very badly for Walter and it is then that he is tempted towards starting to "groom" an underage girl. At this point in the film there is a great emotional understanding of what it is like to suffer as Walter does from this terrible problem that he has.The rather clever plot makes unexpected use of the nature of each character in the film. There is no clear division of good persons or bad persons, rather we find that the good or bad can reveal itself depending on circumstances.

This is an incredibly brave role for Kevin Bacon. He plays a child molester who comes back to his hometown after being incarcerated for 12 years. He gets a room in front of the local school. A woman befriends him at his work place. Another is offended by his lack of interest towards her. He has a sister who doesn't want to meet him. There is a policeman who comes up to his place to abuse him. He has started showing interest towards a 12 year old girl who he sees on the bus. Meanwhile, Bacon might have spotted another child molester active in the area. The movie, based on a play by Steven Fechter, is frankly amazing. I appreciate those dramas which move with the pacing of thrillers. It is edited brilliantly and at just above 80 minutes it is very absorbing. The performance by Bacon is for me his second best after Murder in the First. He truly gets inside the skin of the character and the viewer sympathizes with the molester almost from the beginning. The haunted look on his face is to be seen to be believed. Kyra Sedgwick as his love interest is good. Mos Def is surprisingly efficient as the police officer who has his suspicions.The movie is very highly recommended for all drama lovers. The subject matter seems to be the only reason Bacon did not get an Oscar nomination. 4 out of 5 for the Woodsman. Truly fantastic. Way beyond expectations.