MUD

US, 2012, 130 minutes, Colour.
Matthew McConnaughey?, Tye Sheridan, Sam Shepard, Reese Witherspoon, Ray McKinnon?, Sarah Paulson, Joe Don Baker.
Directed by Jeff Nichols.

There are many good things in Mud (despite the tone of the title). It has been written and directed by Jeff Nichols who made the striking mid-American apocalyptic drama, Take Shelter. Once again, he is in the mid-West, on the Mississippi River in Arkansas. The photography of the small town, the boats on the banks, the rivers in mid-stream, helps us to feel that we have been there.

This is the story of two young lads growing up, working on the river and with fish sales, dealing with problems at home, discovering the attractiveness and the sometimes fickleness of girls, then faced with some crises that they should never have had to face. Tye Sheridan as the young Ellis gives an excellent performance, credible and sympathetic. As his friend Neckbone, Jacob Lofland is hardier, more wary of what happens, yet a backup to Ellis.

But what is the mud of the title? The wet beach on the island? The sludge near the houseboats on the river? Rather, the question is who is Mud?

He is a local who has gone away, experienced a muddled kind of life, always following his childhood sweetheart, Juniper, who falls in and out of love with him. In anger, Mud has shot a man who was violent to her and is now on the run. He has found a boat stranded by low tides in a tree on the island. The boys come to claim it and find Mud. He asks for help, for food, for tools, for an engine for the boat. While Neckbone is suspicious, Ellis likes Mud and helps him.

Life is complicated for Ellis because his mother is tired of life on the boat, wants to move to town and take Ellis with her. But he is devoted to his father as well, working with him on deliveries. Neckbone, meanwhile is being looked after by his oyster-farming uncle (Michael Shannon who starred in Take Shelter).

Mud plans to rendezvous with Juniper (Reese Witherspoon) and asks Ellis to be a go-between, involving him in matters he cannot quite understand and appreciate. And which becomes dangerous when the family of the dead man come searching for vengeance.

The other character is an old CIA agent and assassin (Sam Shepard) who had been a father-figure to Mud and whom the boys bring out to the island to talk with Mud.

The characters are well-written and well-acted, drawing the audience deeply into the story. The star attraction is Matthew McConnaughey? as Mud. In recent years, McConnaughey? has moved away from the romantic comedies he seemed to be stuck in and has made fine appearances in Bernie, Magic Mike, The Paperboy.

On paper, Mud might seem ordinary, even slight, but on screen it makes a strong impression.

1. The meaning of the title? Overtones? Mud himself? The river and its mud, the visuals of mud?
2. Arkansas locations, American back blocks, the town, homes, boats, motels, supermarket, dumps, the tone of the musical score?
3. The Mississippi, the region, the river, in Arkansas, islands, the open river and freedom?
4. Ellis and his story? Age 14, his bond with his father, working with him in deliveries, the father’s clash with his wife, the plan for separation, moving to town, possibility of divorce, the authorities’ taking and destroying the boat? The effect on Ellis? Relationship with each parent? His friendship with Neckbone, working together, selling the fish? The boat, going to the island, the boat in the tree and claiming it, discovering someone there, seeing Mud, fishing? His friendliness, their wariness, Ellis getting the food, stealing it from home, bringing it to Mud, listening to Mud’s story, the story of Juniper, his being willing to help? His becoming a go-between? Delivering the notes? The assault on Juniper and Ellis being punched by Carver? Ellis getting the tools, with Neckbone and the stealing the engine, and his parents’ reaction about honesty? Ellis and desire for girls, the punch defending the girl, her gratitude, the date, the party, thinking she was his girl-friend, his being snubbed by her? A tear in his eye? His meeting Tom, taking him to see Mud, the new information about Mud’s story? His attitude towards the story, the plan, meeting Juniper at 5:00, her not being there, going with Neckbone to the bar, seeing her with the man, telling the truth to Mud? His reaction to the police on the road block, the information about Mud? Cover and his threats? The discussions with Juniper, believing her, confronting Mud, falling into the pool, the snake bite, his being saved? In hospital, his mother and father and their care? Mud’s visit? At home, the shooting? The farewell to Mud? The family moving, delivering Ellis and his mother to town, his father’s expression of love? A future?
5. Mud, his background in the area, growing up? The boys finding him? Occupying the boat, fishing? His personality, genial? The few days on the island, the planned rendezvous with Juniper, the hopes for the future? With the boys, Neckbone and his suspicions? Ellis bringing the food, sharing it with him? His explanation about the shooting and Juniper? The tools, work on the boat? Tom’s visit, his father-figure, Tom talking straight to him? The plan? Ellis and his anger with Mud? Mud taking Ellis to the hospital, on the bike, the hospital giving the information to Carver? Mud and his standing outside the motel, looking at Juniper, the wave and her response? His coming to see Ellis? The shooters, Tom and his help? Recovering on the boat, with Tom and freedom in the open sea?
6. Tom, on the boat opposite Ellis’s family, his reputation, CIA assassin, going to see Mud, confronting him, helping him with the shooting? Sharing the freedom with him at the end?
7. Neckbone, his age, friendship with Ellis, sharing everything with him, his swearing? Galen looking after him, work, the fish, wary of Mud at first, helping, his bike, the tools, stealing the engine, fixing it?
8. Ellis’s parents, their happiness, the separation, each with their love for their son, the snake bite, the rallying around him? The final move?
9. Galen, rough, womanizing, his work, oysters, watching Ellis and Neckbone on the island? His little allegory with the warning about strangers and getting caught up in their lives?
10. Juniper, her story, growing up, the relationship with Mud, love for him, going off with the other men, experiencing brutality, Mud shooting the man? Coming to the town, in the supermarket, the boys following her? Carver and his threats? The brutality to Ellis? Her looking after him? Her explanations, response to the threats, failing to turn up, going to the bar, with the man? Ellis seeing her weeping on the bed? Her final wave to Mud?
11. The Carvers, brutality, threats, the father and his dominance, rounding up a posse, the kneeling in prayer? The father in the motel hearing of the death of his son? The son, threats to Juniper, threats to Ellis, leading the group, the shootout?
12. The teenage girl, friendship with Ellis, the punch, being nice, the date, her rejecting him, cruel?
13. The film working on the level of the pursuit drama? On the level of a young boy’s rites of passage?