Kevin Bacon has appeared in about 55 films during his 25 years in the business. This is perhaps the most complex role he's ever played and the result is quite impressive. With the help of Director Nicole Kassell (making a solid debut effort) and his off-screen wife Kyra Sedgwick (excellent actress), Bacon makes a wise (but difficult) choice to portray this child molester not as a monster (as would be the case in most stories) but rather he portrays him as a very complicated, deeply flawed, tormented man. The fact that this story is told from the pedophile's point-of-view makes it all the more powerful in forcing the viewer to confront this man's humanity (or at least acknowledge that there is a human being somewhere inside the monster). Besides top notch support from Sedgwick and Mos Def, there is a solid (and uneasy to watch) small role excellently played by Hannah Pilkes, as a young girl who tempts Bacon's character. Terrific film.
Review of The Woodsman
