Mystic River.

Mystic River

Once again my friend Abhaya came up trumps and led me to this film which was simply mind blowing.

The story revolving around three childhood friends coming together again as grown-ups due to a murder of the daughter of one of them is riveting and the final twist made it simply fantastic to watch. I am getting increasingly more respectful of Clint Eastwood’s directorial ability too.

While Sean Penn won Best Actor and Tim Robbins won Best Supporting Actor for the film in 2003, I would like to reverse the order.  In my opinion the latter comes up with a very natural and compelling performance, while the former tends to overact in places. Kevin Bacon and Laurence Fishburne produce professional performances.  Quite why the former’s domestic problems had to feature in the story however,  is beyond my ken.

One of my favourite actors from way back when, Eli Wallach,  puts in a cameo appearance which was delightful too.

Overall, a picture worth seeing despite its running time of 137 minutes, and I was glad that I watched it at home and could pause at will for breaks.

Two observations. The Redhaired Jimmy grows up to be dark haired and I simply could not figure out why the title had to be Mystic River. While a river is shown on and off it does not play any role in the narration!

Despite the two observations, I would still give the film a [rating=5] rating reserving one for the two.

11 thoughts on “Mystic River.”

  1. This is one I definitely won’t see. Sorry, it sounds good, but I just dislike Sean Penn too much. Despite that, the idea intrigued me so much, and I do respect Eli Wallach and Clint Eastwood, that I did some research, and then checked the storyline. And realized, that since mystic river was originally a native American homeland, and one of the first landing places, and even more telling, the summer residence of, John Winthrop, first puritan, and governor of the bay colony, there’s a whole lot of cosmic and even more undertones going down here. thanks for the review.
    Dun-Na-Sead recently posted..Pickin’ and Grinnin’

  2. It is an excellent film. Luckily I am not handicapped by my dislike for performers personal lives/politics so I wil see movies regardless of my dislike of them personally. I am no fan of Penn’s but the guy can act. As for Eastwood’s directorial abilities, the man tells a great story while respecting the material and the audience. I’ve been a fan since his debut Play Misty for Me.

    1. I have been out of touch with the movie world for so many years that the personal life of Penn was totally unknown to me. After I read your comments, I investigated and man, what a colourful character he seems to have been! And, no, the knowledge will not deter me from seeing his films in the future.

      This is how I seem to be catching up with good movies. Play Misty For Me, is a movie that I had never heard of before and I shall soon see it too. Thank you.

  3. I saw Mystic River when it first came out — on a large screen in a dark theater. It was so effective that it gave me nightmares.

    I think the name of the movie works. The kids are from the neighborhood where the Mystic River is, but more importantly, I think it’s a metaphor. Below the surface of everyday life, there’s this deep current (or Mystic River) of dark stuff from the past that haunts and shapes their lives.
    jo(e) recently posted..Going grey, turning fifty

  5. i’m sure our library has it if it came out in 2008. so I will check it out.
    i too am an admirer of clint eastwood.
    not only as an actor himself… director also… but simply the man.
    he’s quiet. unassuming. thoughtful. deep.
    ‘rowdy’ did good!
    (you may not have seen how he started here… on television…
    in a western called wagon train i think. he played the scout… ‘rowdy.’)
    a small part that escalated into stardom!
    tammy j recently posted..so far so good

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