Mud

Two teenage boys drifting along a remote stretch of the Mississippi stumble upon a secret keeper named Mud who has found refuge on a river island. He asks for help to reach the woman he loves and to disappear from the flashpoint that has turned his life into a chase. Ellis and Neckbone agree to shelter him under cover of the river fog, drawn by a mix of curiosity and loyalty. What follows is a spell of apprenticeship, as the boys learn how to read risk, talk their way through danger, and balance friendship with the unknowns of adulthood. Mud becomes a mentor and a mirror, testing their courage without promising a safe ending, and leaving questions about growing up.

Directed by Jeff Nichols, Mud arrived in 2013 with a modest budget of 10 million. Nichols wrote the screenplay and assembled a notable cast led by Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Tye Sheridan, and Sam Shepard, all delivering grounded performances worldwide.

Worldwide box office reached 32,613,173 dollars, a solid return for a character driven drama. Its modest scale and strong word of mouth helped Mud find audiences in theaters and beyond. The result confirmed faith in the director's intimate regional approach.

Critics praised Nichols for patient pacing and the performances especially McConaughey and Sheridan. The film centers on loyalty, risk, and the uncertain line between innocence and adulthood as it follows boys who improvise in a world where love can collide with danger, testing their maturity that lingers patiently for audiences.

Mud stands as part of Jeff Nichols's early run that favors mood and place over spectacle. Its Mississippi River setting and intimate storytelling helped establish a tone echoed by regional indie films, showing that small scale, character driven narratives can speak with power. Its mood still resonates today for viewers.