MUD (PG-13) The career resurrection of Matthew McConaughey continues with the coming-of-age fable Mud. It also marks a creative leap for director-writer Jeff Nichols, whose earlier movies—the family drama Shotgun Stories and the intense character study Take Shelter—showed great promise and hinted that he was a serious filmmaker to watch. As with the earlier two features, Mud is set in rural Arkansas (where Nichols is from) and focuses primarily on working class characters. What significantly sets Mud apart from the earlier movies, however, is its narrative scope and Nichols' ambitious modern-day reimagining of Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer. 

The work of Mark Twain is never directly quoted in Mud, but his influence permeates this Southern fairytale about two 14-year-old boys, Ellis (Tye Sheridan) and Neckbone (Jacob Lofland), who meet a mysterious man, Mud (McConaughey), hiding out on an otherwise deserted island. Mud is on the run and lives in an abandoned boat high up in the trees. He needs the boys' help while he waits to reunite with the love of his life, Juniper (Reese Witherspoon), and then make his escape down the Mississippi River. Ellis, who lives with his father (Ray McKinnon) and mother (Sarah Paulson) on a houseboat, is fascinated with the fugitive and agrees to help him. The police and a group of contract killers also want Mud, however, and Ellis and Neckbone are thrust into a world of danger unlike anything they have ever experienced. 

Although the movie is named after McConaughey's character, the real focus of the story is Ellis, a boy surrounded by hardship, but whose life is also filled with adventure and possibilities. His burgeoning yet sometimes-contentious relationship with Mud is the real heart of the picture. McConaughey gives one of the best performances of his up-and-down career and Nichols gives him plenty of room to shine in his larger-than-life role. But what makes the performance so good is that the actor knows when to tone it down too, like his scenes with crusty Sam Shephard and the excellent Ellis. Beasts of the Southern Wild may have garnered plenty of acclaim for its stirring take on Southern folklore, but Mud is a worthy companion piece. Mud unfortunately stumbles a little once the subplot of hired assassins kicks in, but the movie does deliver an emotional wallop as it nears the finale and Nichols' evocation of youth is always heartfelt and vibrant. Highly recommended.