The Mudge Boy - Movie Review

Rating: 3 out of 5

Writer/director Michael Burke said he wanted to tell a story about growing up as a kid too sensitive for a harsh environment (rural Vermont). Now I've never thought of Vermont is "harsh," but God knows I hope Burke's life as a youth didn't include being raped by his friend in a barn and molesting a chicken. Pity Emile Hirsch's Duncan Mudge, who is trying to get his life back together after the death of his mother. Cold dad (Richard Jenkins) is no help, sending Duncan to look for companionship in the guise of the local hoods who ride around in a pickup. Sadly, despite a few graphic and disturbing events, nothing much happens to Duncan -- at least nothing which could be considered a "story." When the credits rolled, I was shocked by the state of disarray the plot had been left in. (Unsurprisingly, the script came out of a Sundance workshop.)

Facts and Figures

Year: 2003

Run time: 94 mins

Box Office Worldwide: $62.9 thousand

Budget: $800 thousand

Distributed by: Strand Releasing

Reviews

Contactmusic.com: 3 / 5

Rotten Tomatoes: 77%
Fresh: 20 Rotten: 6

IMDB: 7.3 / 10

Cast & Crew

Director: Michael Burke

Producer: Elizabeth W. Alexander, Alison Benson, Randy Ostrow

Screenwriter: Michael Burke

Starring: Emile Hirsch as Duncan Mudge, Tom Guiry as Perry Foley (as Thomas Guiry), Richard Jenkins as Edgar Mudge, Pablo Schreiber as Brent, Zachary Knighton as Travis, Ryan Donowho as Scotty

Also starring: Alison Benson, Randy Ostrow, Michael Burke