FOLLOWING strong performances in Killer Joe, Bernie, Magic Mike and The Paperboy, which garnered several awards, Matthew McConaughey’s renaissance continues with an eyecatching centralturn in Jeff Nichols’ tender coming-of-age drama setin rural Arkansas in America’s Mid-West.
Teenager Ellis (Tye Sheridan) and his bestfriend Neckbone (Jacob Lofland) live on the river with their parents.
On an expedition to a nearby island the boys stumble upon a fugitive called Mud (McConaughey) hiding in an abandoned boat.
He takes the youngsters into his confidence and reveals that he is awaiting the arrival of his girlfriend Juniper (Reese Witherspoon), who has a distinctive tattoo on her wrist.
However, he cannot make direct contact with Juniper because she is being watched by violent men, so he asks Ellis and Neckbone to pass on a message for him.
Willingly,the boys are drawn into Mud’s world of bloodshed and retribution, leading to anawkward reunion between Mud and his former mentor (Sam Shepard).
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