Mud

Mud

Rated PG-13 and Released in Grand Rapids 4/26/13

Reviewed 5/9/13 at Celebration North Theatre in Grand Rapids, MI

with Gary and Denny

2 1/2 out of 5 Js in QUIET Rating System

Watching Mud does remind me of a modern day Huck Finn. Instead of Huck and Tom, we have Ellis (Tye Sheridan) and Neckbone (Jacob Lofland) who are so darn cute. Gary gave it closer to a 3 out of 5 and my dad was more like a 2. It had hints of sweetness to it and we all liked it, but at 130 minutes it was about 20 minutes over my limit in the strum along drama.

Playing out in a small town in Arkansas, the two boys encounter a guy they call Mud, played by the cosmetically altered Matthew McConaughey. I didn't like that look one bit. Ellis and his parents live in a riverboat house on the Mississippi which creates an easy avenue for their adventures. Parking their small boat on a nearby island to check out a stranded boat they want to claim, they stumble on the grubby drifter Mud, hiding out. Mud easily befriends Ellis and Neckbone and it takes no convincing in enlisting their help.

Mud needs the battered boat to aid his law evasion. As it turns out, half of the town is looking for the fugitive caught up in a love triangle that turned south. Enter the 2nd point in the love triangle, Juniper (Reese Witherspoon) who is hiding out in town waiting instructions from her man Mud. The problem is she is pretty flaky and fickle. While this shouldn't come as a surprise to Mud, he certainly is still shaken by his Juniper. Just when the trio endearingly start to grow on you, the storyline winds down. Nothing really turns out quite like it should and it shouldn't with Ellis, Neckbone and Mud planning a rendezvous and the great escape without anyone in the small town noticing. Not to mention the manhunt occurring while Juniper is being watched every move by a lot of people with a vested interest. I was eagerly awaiting the ending not because it was so riveting, but more like, "end this mess already!" With that being said I would still recommend seeing it now, maybe even in the cheapie theatre as it will probably be headed there soon with all the summer blockbusters around the corner. I can't wait for this season!

QUIET Rating system: 2 1/2 Js

Quality: JJ

Understood story:  JJJ

Interest: JJj

Entertainment:  JJJ

Time:  Jj