Matthew McConaughey has truly shaken off his rom-com typecast these past couple of years. Superb turns in Magic Mike and Killer Joe (to name but two) show that McConnaughey 2.0 has some serious acting chops and is prepared to play a wide range of roles, including some rather unsavoury characters.

This first trailer for Mud sees Matthew, whose character’s name is Mud, on the lamb and hiding out in Mississippi. Living in an old boat on a deserted island, Mud encounters two young lads and spins them a yarn about killing a man, bounty hunters on his tail and wanting to reunite with the love of his life. Entertained by the tall tale, Ellis (Tye Sheridan) and Neckbone (Jacob Lofland) agree to help Mud escape. But when fiction becomes reality, the boys’ lives get turned upside down.

Mud is written and directed by Jeff Nichols (Take Shelter) and premiered in Cannes last year. The film has brilliant supporting cast, including Reese Witherspoon (Walk the Line), Michael Shannon (Take Shelter, Man of Steel), Sam Sheppard (Blackthorn) and Sarah Paulson (Martha Marcy May Marlene). Take a look and let us know what you think.

The trailer certainly is gripping. I like dark, gritty, character-driven thrillers and this looks like it’ll deliver in spades.

McConaughey continues to impress me. This is a more serious role compared to, say, Killer Joe but he once again brings the perfect balance of charm and menace to a not-so-nice-guy. But he’s not carrying the picture alone – the whole cast looks great, with Sheridan and Lofland more than holding their own.

I hope we get to see this in cinemas here. Don’t you?

Mud is an adventure about two boys, Ellis (Tye Sheridan) and his friend Neckbone (Jacob Lofland), who find a man named Mud (Matthew McConaughey) hiding out on an island in the Mississippi. Mud describes fantastic scenarios—he killed a man in Texas and vengeful bounty hunters are coming to get him. He says he is planning to meet and escape with the love of his life, Juniper (Reese Witherspoon), who is waiting for him in town. Skeptical but intrigued, Ellis and Neckbone agree to help him. It isn’t long until Mud’s visions come true and their small town is besieged by a beautiful girl with a line of bounty hunters in tow.

Directed by Jeff Nichols, the film stars Matthew McConaughey, Tye Sheridan, Jacob Lofland, Sam Shepard, Reese Witherspoon, Sarah Paulson, Michael Shannon, Ray McKinnon, Paul Sparks, and Joe Don Baker.

No New Zealand release date yet, but stay tuned.

Mud Poster