The Woodsman

Kevin Bacon's talent has been underrated for years, but no one who sees Nicole Kassell's The Woodsman will be able to deny his extraordinary range and sensitivity as a convicted child molester who struggles to make a new life and control his inclinations after his release from prison. Not the easiest or most savory of roles, to be sure, but it is one that pays rich dramatic dividends: a scene late in the film, in which Bacon's character encounters a lonely young girl in a park and tries simultaneously to seduce her and to resist the urge, is absolutely harrowing. But while Bacon is brilliant, the film as a whole is less so, plagued by a variety of narrative problems. First, we are asked to believe that the protagonist would be allowed to rent an apartment directly across from a school playground. Second, the script tries too hard to portray the main character in a sympathetic light, especially in an almost heroic subplot that has him taking vengeance on a predator who's trying to pick up young boys walking to the school (a twist that almost feels homophobic). Finally, the suggestion that the man can be redeemed by the love of a good woman (an abrasive coworker played rather stridently by Kyra Sedgwick) seems simplistic. Still, The Woodsman is worth seeing for Bacon's performance--a great piece of work by an actor at the height of his powers. It's just a pity the picture isn't entirely worthy of him. Recommended. [Note: DVD extras include audio commentary by director Nicole Kassell, three deleted and extended scenes (9 min.), a “Getting it Made” featurette (5 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a harrowing showcase for Bacon.] (F. Swietek)