Grade: B+ | Genre: Drama Summary: I'm not recommending this film to everyone. While it is a very good film, you have to go into this one with an extremely open mind and a cast iron stomach because it will test your faith in humanity.

I go to films asking to be challenged. I want a film to trigger an emotion, regardless of what that emotion may be. The Woodsman answered the call, taking me to the brink and, for a moment, past it. There is one scene where I almost turned off the film because I was so disturbed by what I saw. Instead, I took a moment to pause it and step away. After I caught my breath, I thankfully returned to see the critical moment of Walter's redemption, but it was a trying call to make. This is a harsh film dealing with an extremely difficult subject matter -- child molestation. It's worth the look, but proceed with caution.

Walter (Kevin Bacon) has just been released from prison after serving 12 years for molesting several young girls between the ages of 10 and 12. The abuse of prison life, as well as living with the person he is, has hardened him to the point that he is simply a shell of a human. The punishment he endured at the hands of the other inmates is only hinted at, but that is all we really need. His task is to attempt to reintegrate into society with the deck stacked against him. By some cruel twist of fate, the only apartment he is able to rent overlooks a grade school playground. He constantly peers out the window at temptation. He gets a job at a lumberyard and begins to piece together a bland routine existence, attempting to live without his urges overwhelming him. Kyra Segwick is rough as his co-worker, Vickie, who is taken with his initial kindness. She falls for him before she discovers what his crime was. Its very interesting to see him take to her because you get the impression that this is the first normal sexual relationship that he has ever been in. This contributes to his healing. Of course, the truth eventually sees daylight and the look of shocked dismay that overtakes her face is one I don't know that I've ever seen expressed before. What goes through your mind at that instant?

The only moments we get to see inside of him is through the painful therapy sessions he has. Like a broken record, he keeps repeating, "when will I be normal?" Normal is hard to come by in Walter's life. He sees another child molester poaching around the school looking for prey, and Walter is powerless to do anything to stop it. He finds himself following girls and leaving glances just a little too long whenever they are within sight. He continually tests his boundaries -- first unconsciously then consciously. All the while, your head is screaming at him, "what the f#$k are you doing, man." We know, as he does, that he can't put himself in these situations and expect that bad things won't happen.

Amazingly, the film never passes judgment on Walter. It portrays him more objectively than I would have believed possible. As a former student of psychology, I should believe that with enough help even a man like this can be cured, but I don't know that I really believe that. I think the more prevailing societal view is that all pedophiles should be locked up and never released. This film makes you sit on that awkward fence you really don't want to sit on. It puts a face and a person behind this monstrous issue. I think deep down some of the views we harbor aren't ones we really want challenged. We don't want to see a child molester as human because that would mean that they are simple degrees of ourselves.

I'm not recommending this film to everyone. While it is a very good film, you have to go into this one with an extremely open mind and a cast iron stomach because it will test your faith in humanity. This is an very difficult film that probes deeply into this troubled mind and will reward you for seeing it through. Bacon is probably as strong as I have ever seen him when he gets into the skin of Walter. He won't let you easily write Walter off as a sick and depraved man. Through Bacon, you feel his pain and you see his struggle. This is a powerful film that asks a lot of tough questions that there may not be answers for. I'm very glad that I watched it and was able to see it through, but I know I couldn't do it a second time.

Rent the Woodsman

Email this article to a friend