Mud is being described by the LA Times as a coming of age story. Two teenage boys stumble upon a fugitive (named Mud) and then help him escape. It’s unclear how that will play out, but it’ll definitely make you grow up in a big damned hurry.
Chris Pine is in talks to play the convict, which would continue his path of making smaller dramas while waiting to captain the Enterprise or step into the boots of Jack Ryan. The movie will be directed by rising talent Jeff Nichols, whose Take Shelter is currently playing Cannes.
Producer Aaron Ryder evoked the name Stand By Me when describing the project, but the plot synopsis also has a slightly older A Perfect World feel. Making the former comparison is a gamble considering how nostalgia-covered Rob Reiner’s film is, but it’s enough to get my attention. Who wouldn’t love another great, sweaty summer-set coming of age tale? Especially one testing the acting range of Chris Pine?