The Woodsman

doi:10.1136/bmj.330.7491.605

BMJ 2005;330:605 (12 March), doi:10.1136/bmj.330.7491.605

reviews

Film

The Woodsman

Directed by Nicole Kassell On general release www.thewoodsmanfilm.com

Rating: $*$ $*$ $*$ $*$

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

It is rare to come across a film that treats a serious topicwith adequate sensitivity and draws the right balance betweenrealism and compassion. The Woodsman falls into this category,dealing with the emotionally charged issue of paedophilia.

Walter, the principal protagonist (played by Kevin Bacon), isa convicted paedophile, released on supervised parole. Rathersurprisingly, he is housed in an apartment directly across theroad from an elementary school. He finds work as a carpenterand meets Vickie (Kyra Sedgwick), a fellow worker, herself avictim of incestuous abuse. An intimate relationship developsand Walter is forced to tell her about his past. He uses theclassic paedophilic rationalisation of not having harmed hisvictims, who were 10 to 11 year old girls.