Movies - TV
Kevin Bacon Went Against His Own Plan By Saying Yes To The Woodsman
By LEE ADAMS
2004’s "The Woodsman" is a somber and expertly acted character study of a child molester, Walter, who has just been released from prison. Under Nicole Kassell’s sensitive and courageous direction, Kevin Bacon is at his best, neither portraying Walter as a monster nor asking for the audience’s pity.
By the time "The Woodsman" came along, Kevin Bacon had already developed a reputation as one of Hollywood's best character actors, having broken out of his earlier, funnier '80s roles with an eye-catching cameo in "JFK." Although the actor is usually unafraid of tackling darker material, he still held back when it came to Kassell's challenging drama.
He told the Independent, “It was exactly the opposite of what I was looking for. I wanted to do something mainstream, I wanted to do something heroic, I wanted to get paid. You know, I didn't want to step into dark, indie world. But it was great material. It was like it chose me.'"