“Mystic River” (Warner Brothers)
In the film “Mystic River” torrents of emotions run deep. The currents are deadly and each of the characters delineated in the story is swept away to an uncertain fate. If you are not willing to invest two hours of your time and attention to the depths of this film then stay away. It is a movie that will depress you, impress you, and leave you pondering it for days after you have viewed it.
Clint Eastwood directed this movie and composed the score. His son Kyle also worked on some of the musical numbers, which play in the background. The music, the mood, the magic of the performances, and the magnitude of Dennis Lehane’s story and Brian Helgeland’s screenplay make this one of the most important films of the year.
The story concerns three men who live and work in the South Boston area. Jimmy Markham (Sean Penn), Sean Devine (Kevin Bacon), and Dave Boyle (Tim Robbins) have been friends all of their lives. As adults they don’t see each other as much as they did when they were kids, but there is still a connection.
All three of their lives were marked by an incident that occurred when they were twelve years old. That was when Dave was abducted and sexually molested. He never recovered emotionally from the ordeal and his two friends were also scarred by it.
Years later the three must face a new tragedy. Jimmy’s daughter has been murdered. Sean is one of the investigating officers on the case, along with his partner Whitey Powers (Laurence Fishburne). Dave is one of the people the police are talking to about the crime.
Laura Linney and Marcia Gay Harden are also in the movie. Linney plays Jimmy’s wife Annabeth, and Harden is Dave’s wife Celeste. Both of these women are excellent with Harden showing amazing acting prowess as the fragile wife who casts doubt on her husband’s innocence.
Bacon and Fishburne are solid in their roles but are surpassed by Robbins and Penn. Robins has never played a person this weak, and emotionally destroyed. You can feel the gloom descending over Dave, and understand the desperation that engulfs him. It is a performance that stays in your mind and soul as you leave the theater.
Penn is equally good as the distraught Jimmy. His character goes from pitiful to punishing, without a break in character. It is only in retrospect that you can totally appreciate what Penn has done to make the patriarchal Jimmy understandable.
The movie is rated R for profanity and violence.
“Mystic River” is a movie without lightness. Once you sign on for the story you are in for a brutal journey to the hellish streets of South Boston where the boundaries of love, hate and kinship are tightly woven and clearly defined.
This is a magnificent movie that crowns Eastwood’s career. It brings Penn back to the forefront of strong Hollywood actors and shows an added depth in Robbins’ talent. It may also mean another Oscar for Marcia Gay Harden.
“Mystic River” is not a movie that everyone will enjoy, but for those who love movies with depth and complexity this is a masterpiece.
I scored “Mystic River” a turbulent 9 out of 10.
