Directed by Nicole Kassell, The Woodsman deftly shows life through the eyes of Walter (Kevin Bacon), who has just been released from twelve years of prison. He finds an apartment, which he tells his brother-in-law “was the only place that would take [his] money.” As this building is directly across the street from an elementary school, one would think the landlord would do background checks on his tenants.
Walter Leads a Lonely Life
Walter spends his days working at the local lumberyard, where he raises the suspicions of the receptionist (based solely on her intuition) and befriends the only other female on site. Vicki, played by Bacon’s wife, Kyra Sedgwick, works as hard as the men at the yard, yet has to deal with their constant advances. The speed with which Vicki & Walter begin a largely sexual relationship is the only subplot that feels unrealistic.
As Walter gets ready for work each morning, he begins to notice a man who is always there offering candy to the young boys arriving at school. As his therapist has prompted him to do, Walter records his thoughts in a notebook, where he details his observations of the predator he dubs “Candy.”
The Woodsman Elicits Uneasy Empathy
Viewers want to feel sorry for Walter, but it’s not easy. Even as he attempts to get on with his life and let his past go, he finds himself following a young girl in the mall until he catches sight of the security guard nearby. Later, Walter knows he should just leave a girl on the bus to herself, but he gives in and follows her to a park, where he chats with her for bit before she leaves. He does not want to molest anyone else, but he sometimes cannot stop himself from thinking about it.
Mos Def’s Sgt. Lucas regularly drops in to check on Walter. He wrestles with the same feelings viewers have throughout the movie. Sgt. Lucas can tell that Walter is trying to “be good.” However, he also knows that the odds of a successful reformation are against him. He thinks pedophiles are sleaze balls, at best.
When Walter takes matters into his own hands by physically attacking “Candy” one evening, Sgt. Lucas could easily arrest him based on a witness’ description. Instead, he informs Walter that the man who was attacked was wanted in another state for raping a child. Walter’s demeanor shifts a little from that point on; he seems to have a little more confidence in himself.
Mindfully Cautious
It’s rather surprising that a female would choose to direct a movie that encourages viewers to empathize with a child molester. Pedophilia is an addiction, and one most likely caused by mental imbalances. That will doubtfully stop viewers of this movie from keeping a closer eye on their children at all times, though.
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