Mystic River Movie Review 2003

Complex drama is right up the controlled Eastwood's directorial alley (it's his 24th film)--especially with his three leads giving their all. Jimmy (Penn), Dave (Robbins), and Sean (Bacon) have grown up together in a working-class Irish neighborhood in Boston. As a child, Dave was kidnapped as his buddies looked on helplessly and he's never completely recovered from his ordeal. Decades later, Sean is now a homicide detective; Dave, a subdued loser; and Jimmy, an ex-con who manages a local market. Tragedy brings the guys back in close contact when Jimmy's beloved 19-year-old daughter Katie (Rossum) is murdered and he wants to get the killer before the cops do. There are some strange circumstances surrounding Katie's death and suspicion soon falls on Dave, leading to a climax filled with irony, regret, loss, and the perils of vigilante justice. Based on the novel by Dennis Lehane.

Distribution

Not Yet Released

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 137 minutes.
Originally from United States.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Boston, Buddies, Homicide, Police Detectives, Sexual Abuse, Vigilantes, Tragedy, Family Ties, Ex-Cons, Kidnapped!, A River Runs Through the Plot

Screenplay

Brian Helgeland

Cast

Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, Kevin Bacon, Laurence "Larry" Fishburne, Marcia Gay Harden, Laura Linney, Tom Guiry, Kevin Chapman, Emmy Rossum, Spencer (Treat) Clark, Adam Nelson, Jenny O'Hara, Andrew Mackin, Robert Wahlberg

Cinematography

Tom Stern

Director

Clint Eastwood

Music

Clint Eastwood

Other

Walt Martin, Joel Cox, Jack G. Taylor, Deborah Hopper, Henry Bumstead

Producer

Clint Eastwood, Robert Lorenz, Judie G. Hoyt, Village Roadshow Pictures, NPV Entertainment, Malpaso Productions, Warner Bros.

Awards

Oscars 2003: Actor (Penn), Support. Actor (Robbins); Golden Globes 2004: Actor--Drama (Penn), Support. Actor (Robbins); Natl. Bd. of Review 2003: Actor (Penn), Film; Natl. Soc. Film Critics 2003: Director (Eastwood); Screen Actors Guild 2003: Support. Actor (Robbins).