LastingAware The greatest movie ever!

Nayan Gough A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

Anoushka Slater While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

Rosie Searle It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Anthony Iessi Parts of the film shine tremendously in the performance of Kevin Bacon, as well a long scene with a little girl that is truly heartbreaking and shocking. But the rest of the film doesn't live up to the greatness of these two performances. The other characters of the film are conventional, and the pace is maddeningly slow, but that perhaps was on purpose. This was a fairly unusual and disturbing subject to make into a film in 2004, but by today's standards, especially with the over saturation of technology and the ever increasing conversation about pedophilia, the chilling nature of the film has decreased over time. But what is timeless is how creepy it is.

James Hitchcock When it was first released in 2004 "The Woodsman" was a highly controversial film because it offers a relatively sympathetic portrayal of a convicted child molester. When I say that the portrayal was "sympathetic" I do not mean that the film attempts to excuse or justify paedophilia. I mean that the main character, despite his crimes, is not depicted as a "monster" but as a human being with feelings and emotions of his own and, moreover, as a human being who is capable of redemption.That main character, Walter, returns home to Philadelphia after serving 12 years in prison for sexual offences against young girls. He gets a job at a local timber mill (hence the film's title). The film explores how Walter attempts to rebuild his life with the aid of his co-worker and girlfriend Vicki, who opts to remain with him even after she learns about his offences, and his brother-in-law Carlos, the only member of his family who stood by him after his conviction. The authorities do not seem to be a lot of help to him; his probation officer, for example, does not seem concerned that he lives in a flat overlooking a primary school and he is constantly pestered by a police officer named Lucas who quite clearly hopes to catch Walter reoffending.Special praise is due to Kevin Bacon for his sensitive and well-judged performance in the leading role; he makes us realise that Walter is human, and yet we are never allowed to forget the seriousness of what he has done, even if Walter himself would at times prefer to forget it. There are also excellent performances from Kyra Sedgwick as Vicki and from Hannah Pilkes as Robin, a young girl whom Walter meets in the local park.Because of its subject-matter the film had only a very limited cinematic release in both America and Britain. It was a brave move on the part of the film-makers to tackle a subject as controversial as this, but I think that their courage paid off. "The Woodsman" is not a great film; the plot is not always easy to follow and the dialogue is at times difficult to hear. It does, however, make an important contribution to the debate around the moral question of how society should deal with those who suffer from a compulsion to commit acts which others find abhorrent. 6/10

captaintneil Modern society is being engineered to embrace behaviors and lifestyles that were in the shadows in the same esteem as man-woman-children families that are the heart of any healthy society.God help the viewers of romanticized filth if they dare to speak truth, the will be condemned by the PC police who celebrate abortion and condemn traditional families as being insensitive.The best movies to watch are The 9th Gate and Eyes Wide Shut if you want to learn about how the elites program humans for their gradual enslavement....you can't enslave humans....you have to turn them into beasts first...same as war must dehumanize enemies you are supposed to hate and kill.

Manal S. Unbelievably beautiful and heart-piercing performance by Kevin Bacon! I couldn't help but tear up at his agonizing battle towards being a normal, socially-accepted human being. Bacon plays the role of Walter, a child molester who has been recently released from prison after doing a ten-year sentence. The movie follows his attempts to reunite with his estranged sister, and psychologically and socially conform to his new surroundings, bearing the burden of his past sins along the way.The story does not sympathize with Walter in any way. On the contrary, it portrays him as a weak man, easily shattered and susceptible to relapse. Nevertheless, it focuses on the society and the prejudiced mainstream view that provocatively incriminates and gives no chance for redemption, forgetting that evil is a fire that feeds on hatred and rejection. The Woodsman only poses some humanistic questions and leaves you to ponder on then: Aren't our sins the outcome of other's sins? Are those sins beyond redemption? Are we really to blame?The only letdown, story-wise, is the seemingly unrealistic and forced pieces of information. They are supposed to endorse the plot and the underlying dilemma of the story. However, they only made things too incredible to me. For example, Vickie discloses to Walter that she was sexually abused by her brothers. Walter and his sister had this sexual intimacy as kids. Robin, the girl in the park, reveals that she is being molested by her father. Walter spots a sex offender across the street!! What the hell Fetcher and Kassell were thinking?! A story of the Land of the Sexually Perverted?!