While the tone of the
film changes in the second portion (from dreamy ideals to stark
realities), many sequences and shots still carry that slightly surreal aesthetic, which heightens the intrigue and beauty of this gritty working - class limbo; even more so
than his
other films, Mud showcases Nichols as a sharp and artistic visual storyteller.
That just reflects what this movie and DVD really is: one huge ego trip, and evidence doesn't come any stronger
than the final special feature: a feature - length recording of the audience at
film's premiere, which means lots of hooting, hollering, laughing, and approving applause — in
other words, a reaction universes removed from the
reality of what played out in multiplexes across the country earlier this year.