Reading and seeing MUD, a film by Jeff Nichols, are two different things, but it is striking how similar the screenplay is to the realized version—one of the benefits of directing your own script, I’m sure. MUD may seem like a traditional piece of storytelling, and indeed it is in many ways. The structure remains chronological, the basic arc of the story is not unlike thousands of stories told before it, however the film stands out as different, special somehow. Part of this separation comes from an incredible cast, including Matthew McConaughey who plays Mud. Beyond the actors, though, the story itself is a remarkable. Nichols makes no attempt to fill his movie with fluff, and as a result if it’s on screen it matters.
An observant viewer might attribute the tight storytelling seen in MUD to a minimalistic approach, but a thoughtful one might call it essentialist, in that every narrative element in the story acts as a pillar. Not a single one of these pillars can be removed without serious damage to the structure of the movie. Primarily, Nichol’s recurring motifs are vital to the story.
As a writer, Nichol’s has a sharp focus, only showing what matters, or will come to matter throughout the course of the movie. As the story does run its course, several different motifs surface, including the permanence of love, snakes and escape.
Right off the bat, the movie-goer will learn that Ellis’s mother wants divorce, and that this causes not only marital issues, but a vehement reaction within Ellis. Because Nichols sets this up earlier, it becomes clear that Ellis’s passionate desire to believe in true love drives him to help Mud, becoming a fierce aid in finding Juniper (Reese Whitherspoon). It also serves to show just how excruciating his humiliation is when he is spurned by May Pearl.
Snakes: another symbol Jeff Nichols implements early on. When the boys first explore the island, they find a water nest of water moccasins. Soon after they meet Mud, who has a snake tattoo and tells them of the time he was bitten. The symbol remains prevalent, but the meaning aloof until nearly the end of the film. By the time a snake bites Ellis and Mud rushes him to the hospital, we have already seen similarities between the two characters, the same idyllic view of love and desperation for justice in these pursuits of romance. When Ellis is bitten, though, it seems it marks the end of his innocence, an allusion to biblical metaphors for the same thing. This is further evidenced by the context surrounding it, Ellis has had his heart broken by May Pearl and then realizes that Mud has been lying to him. These heart wrenching revelations suggest that, even before the poison has set in, something has been destroyed within Ellis.
With use of these succinct themes and motifs, Jeff Nichols creates a story that, though traditional, tells something new. It’s gripping and it’s profound.
