Mud

“Mud” proves, once again, that a great story has so much more value than a big budget. This movie is simply, all about love. Love can be deceptive, challenging, courageous, and it can bring out the best, or worst in people. At the core of this movie, it portrays a realistic version of love in many forms as we follow Ellis (Tye Sheridan) and his friend, Neckbone (Jacob Lofland), cross the line between boyhood and manhood.

Ellis and Neckbone discover the hideout of their dreams on an island in the middle of a river when they find a small boat stuck in a tree. Little did they know that an outlaw, Mud, (Matthew McConaughey) is currently residing in said boat, as he waits for the love of his life to run away with him. They quickly make a deal that if they help Mud get the boat seaworthy, down from the tree and into the water, the boys will get Mud’s gun. It doesn’t sound like a fair trade, but to two thirteen year-old boys, a gun of their own isn’t something they can say no to. As Mud begins to use Ellis and Neckbone to communicate with his love, Juniper (Reese Witherspoon), Ellis soon hears all about how madly in love they are, and from there, every decision for Ellis is based on the fact that he knows Mud and Juniper are in love and they deserve the love that lasts. 

As they gather materials, and run around town for Mud, Ellis begins to see Mud as a leader as his own personal life begins to unravel. His parents are talking about divorce, and his new girlfriend isn’t shaping up to be as great as he hoped for. Mud is willing to give him the guidance he has been looking for in love.  Everyone else in his life is struggling with love in some way, so Ellis begins to cling to this stranger and fight for the idea of perfect love. At the same time, Juniper doesn’t look to be as faithful or trustworthy as Mud made her out to be. Are they really in love or not? Questions begin to surface, lies begin to unfold, and Ellis discovers that the love he envisioned may not exist. Love doesn’t always conquer all. 

Matthew McConaughey is perfect in this movie. I never really was a big fan of his, but just respected his work. Recently though, he has made a conscious decision to star in smaller movies that will challenge him as an actor and that has definitely paid off. In “Mud,” he plays a dreamer, a hopeless romantic, searching for the love and connection he once had when he was young. I believed every moment, every sentence, and every emotion that he had. I believe the same of Tye Sheridan. He is such a gifted young actor, I am so excited to see where he goes in his career. He first arrived on screen in “The Tree of Life,” and ever since then has had a steady stream of roles. Tye is the one of the most gifted young actors I have ever seen, and this movie is worth a watch just because of him. 

Another one of my favorite things about this movie is how realistic they depict love. Just to name a few, they interpret love that once was and now forgotten, teenage love, love between friends, brotherly love, second chance love, and sacrificial love. At the same time, they handled the dialogue, sets/locations, cinematography, characters, in a beautiful and respectful way. They stay true to the story they wanted to tell and didn’t find themselves getting sidetracked on useless exposition or backstory. This movie is long, but it is well worth the time. With an exciting ending that left me literally on the edge of my seat, very strong characters, and a unique love story, I would strongly suggest seeing this movie.