The Woodsman will one day be uttered as the answer to the (Seven Degrees of Kevin Bacon). stumper where you have to link him to the charismatic Mos Def.

All joking aside, The Woodsman is hardly funny, as it takes an intense look at some truly terrifying subject matter.

In the film, Bacon is Walter, a man who's just been released from prison. Starting over is no easy task as he is constantly watched by police
detective Lucas (an electric Mos Def). Still, Walter takes it day by day and finds himself a job where he chooses to be distant from his fellow employees until he becomes smitten with local spitfire Vickie (Bacon's real life wife Kyra Sedgwick). Their relationship develops quickly but is put to the test in a major way when Vickie discovers why Walter was in prison.

Again, The Woodsman takes an incredibly tough topic and, for the most part, handles it with grace, save for the occasional heavy-handed moment. What is the topic? I'd rather not address it because I feel it might take away from
the dramatic impact of the film. Granted the movie is going to be released, and from what I'm hearing, they will make no secret of what the film is about in the marketing process.

In addition to the dark part of the story, The Woodsman is also a picture that takes a hard look at the rehabilitation potential of the American Penal System and whether certain criminals should ever be allowed back into society?

Kevin Bacon is sensational here in a role that requires him to take a big chance. The actor perfectly captures the confusion, guilt and fear of his unfortunate circumstances. Late in the picture, there is a sequence in which Bacon
contemplates the unthinkable while sitting on a park bench. The way he plays this scene is extraordinary and subtle, and while I found his character despicable, I wouldn't say that I hated him. That's a true testament to how well Bacon plays this role. Sedgwick is spunky and fiery as Walter's new flame and her abrasive attitude lends energy to the film, and her real life connection to Bacon translates into big time sparks on-screen. Musician Mos Def is commanding as detective Lucas. His anger towards Walter is intense but he's also a fair man and that comes across as well.

Director Nicole Kassell makes an earnest attempt at playing both sides of the coin. And while I appreciated the fact that she takes an intimate and, for the most part, restrained approach to the material, I felt that she went
a little overboard in the final act of the picture. The moment with Kevin Bacon is pivotal, but the introduction of another character's secret seems to be a bit much.

Still, The Woodsman is fairly ambiguous in it's resolution and I feel it was the best approach because sometimes there aren't any easy answers. This movie is depressing and hard to watch at times, and while not perfect, Bacon was strong enough to make the movie effective.