Clip from Jeff Nichols' 'Mud'

With Matthew McConaughey and Reese Witherspoon, who are both becoming more go-to for character-driven pieces.

The real news here is director Jeff Nichols, whose 'Take Shelter' with Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain is must-see for cinephiles. That flick was elegant, subtle and very confidently executed. It's one of my favorites. In less capable hands 'Mud' could be a struggle to sit through but Nichols will (surely) deliver a fine movie. That Nichols also wrote the script for 'Mud' (as he did for Take Shelter) makes it even better.

'Mud' is about two teenage boys who help a fugitive evade capture and reunite with his girlfriend.

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