THE WOODSMAN
Directed by: Nicole Kassell.
Produced by: Lee Daniels.
Written by: Steven Fechter & Nicole Kassell, based on the play by Steven Fechter.
Director of Photography: Xavier Pérez Grobet.
Edited by: Lisa Fruchtman & Brian A. Kates.
Music by: Nathan Larson.
Released by: Newmarket.
Country of Origin: USA. 87 min. Rated: R.
With: Kevin Bacon, Kyra Sedgwick, Mos Def, Benjamin Bratt, David Alan Grier & Eve.

In this thoughtful film of forgiveness, Walter (Kevin Bacon) returns to work at a lumberyard after serving a 12-year prison sentence as a sex offender. There is tension throughout the film as it poses the question: will he give in to his impulses or try to live as "normal" a life as possible? Working alongside Walter is Vickie (Kyra Sedgwick), who's first seen flipping off a leering coworker. She notices Walter after work at the bus stop and offers him a ride, asking "Who takes the bus anymore?" A couple of beers later both loose their shyness and go to bed (in homage to 1973's Don't Look Now). Practically living in her apartment and knowing he can't evade her questions for long, he tells her of his conviction.

The title refers to the wolf-slayer from "Little Red Riding Hood." Fortunately, the symbolism is not intrusive, even if a rolling red ball recalls Fritz Lang's M and an adolescent girl (the object of Walter's gaze) is wearing a red coat. The characters' needs dominate the film and rarely does the dialogue strike a false note. The direction is sensitive, if not delicate, veering away from sensationalizing the explosive issue of pedophilia. This is also a rare film where time, which may heal or wound, is an important character.

However, Walter lives only 320 feet away from an elementary school, slightly more than the legal limit. Besides his prying coworkers, this is an obvious and unnecessary source of tension. From his front window, he spies on a young, good-looking man offering candy to young boys. For a film that is careful not to condemn Walter as he tries to be rehabilitated, it is an unfortunate turn of events when Walter takes violent action (although motivated from his self-hatred) against the predator. The savage attack may be seen not only as a reckless act of vigilantism but also as a cathartic assault against sex offenders in general.

But for the most part, the strong cast fully brings to life the terse script. Sedgwick gives a brittle, go-for-broke performance. In contrast, Bacon is restrained, always on guard, with his eyes averted and hands in pockets. Also prominent are Mos Def as a detective playing good cop/bad cop, and Eve, whose strong presence makes the most of her screen time. Kent Turner
December 22, 2004