Mud is a timeless adventure about two boys, Ellis and Neckbone, who find a mysterious outlaw named Mud (McConaughey) hiding out on a deserted island in the Mississippi River. Mud tells the boys fantastic stories, including how he had to kill a man to save his true love Juniper (Witherspoon), and that the man's family has been chasing him ever since. Skeptical but intrigued, Ellis and Neckbone agree to help reunite Mud with Juniper, and soon Mud's tall tales come to life when their small town is besieged by bounty hunters out for blood.