A sympathetic look at the struggles of a recently released pedophile? No thanks. This film is well acted and pretty well directed but the script is far too permissive on the subject of pedophilia and way, way too accommodating. Kevin Bacon deserves credit for a strong performance as Walter, the aforementioned sex offender. Too bad his hard work is all in service to something so morally corrupt. Writer/Director Nicole Kassell attempts to avoid our natural, and justified, contempt for her pedophile hero by not revealing his crime until well into the film. The thinking is that we will grow comfortable with Walter and have sympathy for his tormented soul so when his disgusting urges are discussed we will be compelled to be more understanding. This attempt to humanize the worst in the spectrum of human evil is disturbing. I can hear detractors arguing that the film isn’t sympathetic to the pedophile since it doesn’t support his lust. The problem is that it doesn’t completely condemn it. Walter is shown as a victim of himself and of society. He is out of step with the world because of his urges. The judgment of the world is represented by a belligerent, snooping cop Sgt. Lucas (Mos Def). The combative relationship between Lucas and Walter sets up the situation where the cop is the villain and the pedophile is the hero (structurally speaking). I don’t know about you but this is where I get off the train.

Listen, I get that everyone seems to think that we need to have an understanding of all branches of humanity. I get it. This understanding doesn’t need to extend to presenting weak-willed narratives taking the side of the offender. When we begin offering sympathetic looks at the most evil people in our society, (c’mon, the poor guy can’t help himself) then we begin condoning it.


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Labels: film, Kevin Bacon, Mos Def, movie review