Mud ***½

Jeff Nichols wrote and directed this Drama. Watch Preview. Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Tye Sheridan, Jacob Lofland, Sam Shepard, Michael Shannon, Reese Witherspoon. Rated PG-13 for some violence, sexual references, language, thematic elements and smoking. Running time is two hours and ten minutes.

Two boys (Sheridan and Lofland) find and help a man named Mud (McConaughey) hiding out on an island in the Mississippi who says he killed a man in Texas and vengeful bounty hunters are coming to get him while he waits for his true love (Witherspoon).

 Frankly, I hadn't heard of this film until it arrived locally and I started reading glowing national reviews. After watching I can see what they were raving about. McConaughey isn't my favorite actor but in this film he shines as a man we're never sure about. The real stars, however, are the two boys, Sheridan and Lofland, who are simply both outstanding and believable as youngsters growing up on the Mississippi. It is their actions and adventures the film focuses on and they carry it off like seasoned professionals. The rest of the cast is purely secondary in importance. Production values are first rate and although the film was too long for me personally, it did a good job of holding my attention. You never know what to expect next although every thing seems plausible in the non-formulaic plot. As good as this is I don't expect it to be here for an extended run so plan on seeing this sooner rather than later.

There are no additional scenes once the final credits begin. Screen size is likely to be small but that won't detract from the film. Theatre/Times.