There’s a lot going on in this extraordinarily long drama set in Arkansas along the banks of the Mississippi River. Here, people live, thrive, suffer, and die by what goes in and out of the water. Indeed, this is the case for 14-year-old Ellis (Tye Sheridan), a sweet romantic boy whose parents are on the verge of divorce. If that happens, his family will lose their home, a modest houseboat that has so far provided the boy with safety and stability.
fugitive from the law
His world changes drastically when he meets Mud (Matthew McConaughey), a tough and charismatic individual, who has taken refuge on an abandoned boat on a remote island. Ellis and his best friend, Nikopon (Jacob Lofland), meet Clay during one of their adventures when they discover the boat stuck in a tree. Clay tells them, “The boat in the tree is a thing of hell.” He does not have a point.
Their plans to claim ownership of the boat are thwarted when Mud tells him he’s already living in it – at least for a while until his girlfriend, Juniper (the tattooed and trashy Reese Witherspoon), reunites with him. As the boys help Mud by providing food and delivering messages to Juniper, they learn more about the personal history of the mysterious man they’ve vowed to help. As you might expect, most of what they learn isn’t exactly interesting.
Strong acting and a touching story
McConaughey certainly inhabits his personality like the mud in a boat—completely, honestly, and tentatively. With his dental apparatus, tattoos, and grunge look, viewers might forget he’s McConaughey—that is, until he inevitably exposes his six-pack abs by removing his shirt near the end of the movie. The supporting cast is excellent, and in a poignant and nuanced performance, Sheridan fully convinces us of Ellis’ intelligence, innocence, and innate goodness. His final scene says a lot with little.
Although tight editing would have improved the film, this satisfying drama captures a unique sense of place, while fully exploring a smaller story (Ellis’s coming of age) within a larger one (mud as a catalyst to stir up trouble for everyone).
clay
- Two teenage boys in rural Arkansas befriend a runaway who lives on a remote island.
- Starring Matthew McConaughey, Tye Sheridan, Jacob Loveland, Reese Witherspoon, Sarah Paulson, Ray McKinnon, Sam Shepard, Michael Shannon, Joe Don Baker
- Writer and Director: Jeff Nichols
- Series Rating: Drama
- Run time: 130 minutes
- MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for some acts of violence, sexual references, language, thematic elements, and smoking)
- Additional Info: Florida premiere at the 2013 Florida Film Festival.