With his newest film “Mud” opening in theaters on Friday, writer-director Jeff Nichols has completed a cinematic hat trick with three projects under his belt that he fostered from the page to the editing room, a rare feat for someone of Nichols’ quality.
“Mud” is a very southern, “Tom Sawyer” inspired feature that follows a wanted man, played by Matthew McConaughey, and the two fourteen year old boys who find him evading law enforcement from a boat stuck in a tree.
Equal parts whimsy and grit, “Mud” marks Nichols’ return to his Southern roots as the Arkansas native shot his biggest project-to-date, in both budget and star power, on the banks of the Mississippi River.
For Nichols, the south is a better storyteller than he’ll ever be.
“The south is beautiful place with a vibrant culture and people who are just naturally good storytellers,” Nichols said during a stop in Dallas. “I really don’t have to do much talking… I can just sit and listen to stories much better than I can come