"Lean Bacon Sizzles in
'The Woodsman'"
by Scott Mantz

"The Woodsman"
Kevin Bacon, Kyra Sedgwick
Directed by Nicole Kassell

A fresh start!  Kevin Bacon grabs life by the ball in "The Woodsman"

If you ask me, Kevin Bacon is not only the most underrated actor of his generation, but with a resume that includes more than 35 films since his feature debut in 1978’s “National Lampoon’s Animal House,” he’s also the hardest-working actor in the business.  With strong supporting turns in modern classics like “A Few Good Men,” “Apollo 13” and last year’s “Mystic River” – not to mention impressive leads in “The Big Picture,” “Stir of Echoes” and (of course) “Footloose” – it’s no wonder they named a game after him.

Yet for all his consistency, versatility and reliability, it’s hard to believe that the Philadelphia native – who’s 46, but looks much younger than that – has never been nominated for an Oscar.  I suspect that will change when Academy voters feast their eyes on “The Woodsman,” which has been gaining critical momentum on the film festival circuit ever since it debuted at Sundance back in January.  And rightly so, for not only does the mesmerizing, uncompromising and wholly engrossing drama represent a remarkable feature debut for director/co-writer Nicole Kassell, but it also features Bacon in the performance of his career.

Bacon plays Walter, a convicted sex offender who re-enters the establishment after serving 12 years in prison.  He moves into a small apartment, gets a job at a lumberyard and finds romance with a tough-talking co-worker named Vickie (Kyra Sedgwick), but he still has a long way to go before he can, in his own words, “be normal.”  As if the fear of being discovered by his co-workers wasn’t bad enough, he also has to contend with an intrusive police detective (Mos Def) who pops by his apartment from time to time.  Every day is filled with conflict, but nothing can prepare Walter for his biggest test, when an encounter with a young girl in a neighborhood park will force him to confront his deepest, darkest demons once and for all.

With a running time of just 86 minutes, “The Woodsman” maintains an intense, engrossing and mesmerizing pace that never lets up.  Director/co-writer Kassell paints a harrowing, tortured and yet entirely sympathetic portrait of a man whose every waking minute is an unbearable struggle.  To make matters worse, he lives across the street from an elementary school, as if doing so will put him through the ultimate test – a test that he comes close to passing in some ways while coming dangerously close to failing in others.

Without a doubt, the true weight of the film lies on the very capable shoulders of Kevin Bacon, who is right on the money with his portrayal of Walter as an introverted, shattered man who simply cannot help himself.  Despite the controversial nature of his sickness, you still can’t help but root for him in his daily struggle to shine a light on his inner darkness, and you can feel the intensity build when he finds himself in situations that just might plunge him back into the abyss.

Bacon is surrounded by impressive supporting players, starting with his real-life wife Kyra Sedgwick, who plays the sexy tomboy who sees something in him that no one else sees.  After his attention-getting turn in cable’s “Something the Lord Made,” hip-hop artist Mos Def continues to build an impressive acting resume as the suspicious detective who keeps an eye on Bacon.  Fellow hip-hop artist-tuned-actress Eve also gives a standout performance as Bacon’s trouble-making co-worker, while Benjamin Bratt plays Bacon’s supportive brother-in-law who tries to mend the broken fences of their family.

“The Woodsman” has its flaws in the form of some obvious contrivances; Walter just so happens to catch another sexual predator in the act of stalking his prey, and Vickie’s initial attraction to him seems to come out of nowhere.  Regardless, the film still triumphs as an unforgettable story about one man’s never-ending struggle to overcome his demons, and Bacon’s terrific performance stands as one of the very finest of the year.  It’s time that this underrated actor got the long-overdue respect that he deserves, and hopefully Oscar voters will agree.

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