Muddy Hands

A dramatic story of childhood trauma and mystical bonds telling of Matthew, a young boy haunted by a traumatizing memory of witnessing a suffocation death of another child (possibly a friend or playmate). He withdraws and has nightmares about what he saw. He struggles to relive his experience through play and fantasy in the face of an increasingly hostile world while his uncomprehending parents struggle to understand him. During one of his frequent trips to a building site near his house, Matthew meets Anna, a strange mysterious girl with whom he forms a mystical bond that forces him to confront the memory that has obsessed him.

Directed by Evan Dunsky, Muddy Hands leans on a strong ensemble — Sky Cash, Jane Montgomery, Dale Fuller — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 1988.