Mystic River (2003)

• Review: *** (out of ****)
• Starring: Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, Kevin Bacon, Laurence Fishburne, Marcia Gay Harden, Laura Linney, Kevin Chapman, Adam Nelson, Emmy Rossum, Tom Guiry
• Director: Clint Eastwood
• Screenplay: Brian Helgeland (Novel: Dennis Lahane)
• Length: 137 min.
• MPAA Rating: R (For language and violence)

Three childhood friendshave their adult relationship tested when a mysterious death gripstheir communities in Clint Eastwood's Mystic River.

Sean Penn leads anall-star cast in a story about Jimmy Markum (Penn), Dave Boyle (TimRobbins) and Sean Devine (Kevin Bacon). When they were young, the threeof them risked everything when caught writing their names in a slab ofwet cement. Dave is held for several days, abducted and raped, beforeescaping his captors only to suffer a lifetime of mental trauma.

Growing up in the sameneighborhood, Dave continued a strained relationship with Jimmy whoremained behind while Sean distanced himself from the others becoming acop and moving out of the area. The three are brought together againwhen Jimmy's daughter Katie (Emmy Rossum) turns up dead. None of themtruly suspect the others for being responsible but after a number ofsuspicious events, the accusations start flowing.

Dave returns home oneevening to his wife Celeste (Marcia Gay Harden), who is astounded tofind he's bleeding and has apparently, as Dave describes, been attackedby a mugger whom he killed in self-defense. Her suspicions are furtheraroused in subsequent days when no word of a mugger's body is reportedin the newspapers and Katie's death sits heavily on her mind.Meanwhile, Jimmy and his wife Annabeth (Laura Linney) must deal withtheir daughter's passing in the only way they can. Jimmy decides togather his goon friends together and begin a search for the killer orkillers. Elsewhere Sean, whose wife has run off and only calls him tosay nothing into the phone and hang up, works with his partner WhiteyPowers (Laurence Fishburne) to uncover the real murderer or murderers.

As director, Eastwood has given us a film filled with powerful performances. Of the six actors heading up the ensemble, Penn gives themost similar performance to those he's played in the past. Much likehis death row inmate in Dead Man Walking , Penn plays a harshex-convict with nothing but revenge on his mind and who knows thatnothing can stand in his way. Gay Harden gives the finest of theperformances as a neurotic housewife who soon begins to think herhusband is psychotic. The other performances are top notch and all ofthem are bait for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Mystic River 's downfallis its weak screenplay. Brian Helgeland whose success with L.A.Confidential had blinded his fans to the fact that he also wrote976-EVIL , has brought a story that is solid in areas and founderingin others. His story is strong in parts and weak in others. He givesevery character a romantic relationship when some of the characters donot need one to develop. He spends a lot of unnecessary time devoted todeveloping plot lines that are immaterial to the whole of the story,causing the audience to lose interest during non-critical moments.

Eastwood understandsactors; after all, he's been one for many years. However, when it comesto keeping the film tight and fluid, he misses the point. Mystic River is an extremely good film but with its few flaws, it becomesbogged down with its overabundance of information.

Mystic River is the kindof film audiences will either love or hate. Some viewers will find itincredibly engrossing and be entertained by its twists and turns.Others will discover that it yields too many questions and find thatthe conclusion doesn't answer all of them. Observant filmgoers may seethe resolution long before it's revealed but they will still find a fewsurprises awaiting them at the end.

-Wesley Lovell (November 15, 2003)