Kevin Bacon provides a gutsy performance as Walter (Kevin Bacon), a pedophile on probation, as he tries to find a way to fit into society while being banished.  Walter’s family does not want to have anything to do with him, his counselor drives him into deep inner guilt, and a police officer named Sergeant Lucas harasses him in his own home.  Constant fear that people would find out truth grabs Walter, as he is fully aware of the public notion of pedophiles.  However, amidst this dark time Walter meets Vickie (Kyra Sedgwick).  The two of them initiate an intense relationship, yet he also fears what she might think if she finds out about him.

Fear from the society keeps Walter isolated, as if his personal beliefs and notions build tall walls around him protecting him from society.  Occasionally, he gets to look over the wall, as Vickie visits with him.  Nevertheless, Sergeant Lucas keeps him reminded of what people think of him, as his counselor continues to induce additional guilt within him.  Yet, Walter also understands Sergeant Lucas and the counselor, as he is aware of the horror children experience through people such as himself.

The title of the film, The Woodsman, originates from the Grimm Brothers’ Red Little Riding Hood, as it refers to the woodsman that saves the little girl from the wolf’s stomach.  There is a scene in the film where Walter is in a park and a young girl approaches him.  At this moment, the audience should pay close attention to the color of the girl’s jacket, red, referring to the fairy tale previously mentioned.  Cleverly, this film uses the old fairy tale through the mise-en-scene and the dialogue in the film, which displays the sharp script.

The director Nicole Kassell takes a huge chance making a film about such an explosive topic, which many look upon with much hatred and anger.  However, she succeeds in developing the story into something more than a mere illustration of some kind of monster.  Instead, she takes a humane approach, as Walter struggles with his behavior, thoughts, and persona while trying to find a way to fit into society in an acceptable manner.  Aptly, Kassell brings the audience a story about monsters, but also a question of human ambiguity, as life is not as simple as making people either good or bad.  In the end, the audience will have to experience a truly heartbreaking story about a monster trying not to be a monster.

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COUNTRY

USA

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