Mud (2012 film)

Mud is a 2012 American independent Southern Gothic coming-of-age drama film written and directed by Jeff Nichols. In the film, Tye Sheridan and Jacob Lofland portray a pair of teenagers who encounter the titular Mud (Matthew McConaughey), a fugitive hiding on a small island, and agree to help him evade his pursuers. Sam Shepard and Reese Witherspoon also star. The film was Joe Don Baker's last appearance before his death in 2025. Mud competed for the Palme d'Or at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival and was also shown at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2013. It opened on April 26, 2013, with a limited release in select theaters, before having a wide release on May 10. Mud performed well at the box office, grossing $32.6 million on a $10 million budget, and received critical acclaim.