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The Woodsman (2004)

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3 articles from 2004

31 December 2004 | From Studio Briefing | See recent Studio Briefing news

A film that treats a child molester sympathetically may have a tough time drawing moviegoers to the theater. But some of the reviews for The Woodsman just may. A.O. Scott in the New York Times observes that director Nicole Kassell attempts neither to excuse nor exploit the character, played by Kevin Bacon, but instead "regards him with wary, ambivalent curiosity, placing him at the center of a modest, frayed drama that feels both understated and generous." Jack Mathews in the New York Daily News wonders just how many Academy members are likely to view the movie between now and the January 17 deadline for them to turn in their nominations. (John Anderson in Newsday comments: "It's about whether the voters, and the public, can get past the subject matter.") But Mathews says, "The acting is really good stuff. Bacon deserves a nomination." And he also gives high praise to Mos Def, who plays a "morally indignant cop." Lou Lumenick in the New York Post calls the movie "one of the year's best ... hugely impressive." On the other hand, Claudia Puig in USA Today finds The Woodsman to be "a distasteful story [with] a muddled message and a sense of missed opportunity."

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28 December 2004 | From Studio Briefing | See recent Studio Briefing news

Oscar contenders in limited release performed strongly over the weekend. Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby took in $212,104 on eight screens -- or $26,513 per screen. Hotel Rwanda, starring Don Cheadle, drew $110,999 in seven theaters, or $15,857 per theater. And The Woodsman, starring Kevin Bacon, $61,200 on six screens, or $10,200 each. Although no major studio releases are scheduled for wide release on Friday, several much-talked-about indies will receive limited openings. They include A Love Song for Bobby Long, starring John Travolta, in eight theaters; The Assassination of Richard Nixon, starring Sean Penn, in four theaters; William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, starring Al Pacino, in four theaters; and In Good Company, starring Dennis Quaid in three theaters.

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23 January 2004 | From Studio Briefing | See recent Studio Briefing news

The controversial film The Woodsman, in which Kevin Bacon plays a convicted pedophile, has landed a distributor at the Sundance Film Festival, despite earlier reports that it might be too hot to handle. According to reports, Newmarket Films paid $1.5 million for Nicole Kassell's entry in the dramatic competition. Ironically (in view of its subject matter), Newmarket is the same company that is also distributing Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ.

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3 articles from 2004