Mud: A Contemporary Huckleberry Finn

The very southern movie Mud was very misleading in its trailer as it could be misconstrued as just another fugitive-hunting thriller. In fact, it's a very poetic, modern version of a Huckleberry Finn story.

I wasn't familiar with director/writer Jeff Nichols's previous works as this is only his third feature film and I've never seen his other two - Take Shelter and Shotgun Stories. But the Arkansas-born director has totally earned my confidence after this latest work of his. The film was shot throughout Arkansas and the beauty of the river, the animals, the birds and the weather are as important as the principal characters. The movie is ironic and poetic at the same time. Set against a southern town with a dishevelled fugitive, powerful bounty hunters, a mysterious ex-vet loner, a messed-up female white-trash, and two teenage boys, the flick oozes dirty masculinity and childish sentimentalism at the same time. The teenage boy wants to be a romantic, heroic adult and the adult fugitive is actually a romantic kid at heart.

Matthew McConaughey continues to surprise me as he ages. Here's an actor who was once voted People's Magazine Sexiest Man Alive and gained popularity via numerous roles in romantic comedies. But recently, he's turned into a character actor and dazzled us with his performance in Magic Mike, Killer Joe  and, now, Mud. The 43-year-old actor with Paul Newman's eyes is definitely having a ball and entering new territories with his film career. I've never paid any attention to his acting until Magic Mike  and Mud just confirms that McConaughey is comfortable in his own skin and no longer relies on his good looks.

All the supporting actors are excellent in this movie, particularly Tye Sheridan who has matured since his acting debut in The Tree of Life. I was quite shocked to see Sam Shepard aging so badly in this movie. What has happened to the handsome, rugged Renaissance man who's had Jessica Lange's heart for so song?

The recently omnipresent Michael Shannon (who's nominated for an Academy Award in his supporting role in Revolutionary Road) has a minor, ordinary part in this film; and apart from confirming that he can play a normal, average guy, his huge talent as an actor is really wasted in this movie.

Mud is a very pleasant surprise, but a very memorable one too!