Uncomfortable but necessary viewing

'The Woodsman' is a fine debut for director Nicole Kassell and is driven by an exceptional lead performance from Kevin Bacon. He plays Walter, a paedophile who, after being released from a 12 year prison stretch, is struggling to integrate himself back into society. He strikes up a relationship with co-worker Vickie(Bacon's real-life wife Kyra Sedgewick), but finds it increasingly hard to hide the secrets of his past.

This courageous film doesn't shy away from Walter's daily struggles with his desires and a few scenes where he comes close to re-offending are well handled, particularly an encounter with a young girl on a park bench which is very tense and uncomfortable viewing.

The film never quite has the courage of it's convictions though, and the too-neat climax disappoints. It's also annoying that most of the major supporting characters that Walter encounters have been affected by child abuse to differing degrees, an unnecessary and awkward element of the screenplay.

Still, you have to credit all those involved for making such a daring film and one that really deserves to be seen. It's worth watching for Bacon's performance alone(which should have been, but predictably wasn't, Oscar-nominated) and while it's not an easy film, it's a brave and valuable one.