I have not read the book, so I cannot comment on that aspect. However, I didn't feel like I learned anything about humanity or the human condition from watching this movie. If you invest this much time in watching something, you hope to feel even just a little bit wiser when it's finished. The characters acted predictably and stayed "true" to their stereo-typical character types. No surprises. The 2 stars are for the relatively good acting and for the directing. Overall, though, watching it was a waste of time.

Particularly in the beginning of the movie as *spoiler*, we learn a girl has died. The reaction of her father and mother is just incredibly believable and something I will remember about this film. Hand him a reward for that and the rest.

The pedo-killer had me thinking he's crazy, and I've seen crazy. Maybe not killer crazy, but I've seen sick people. Again, a very convincing performance. Very believable.

Of course my review would not be complete without at least one complaint (hey, I like to give well-rounded critiques)...I would have liked to have not had the young boys as the killers. It just didn't make sense to me. I don't believe the deaf kid loved his brother so much he'd kill for him nor do I believe the boys accidentally shot a girl then had to finish her off before she squealed. I'm just sayin'...

I think this movie is very well done. The story and the characters portrayed are both excellent. Tim Robbins plays an extremely disturbed individual, and rightfully so. The grieving Sean Penn and the diligence of Kevin Bacon amongst the back drop of the small network of childhood friends, very well played. The movie keeps you on the edge of your seat. And the ending... was not at all what I had anticipated.
Well cast and extremely good acting.

There is not really much to say about this movie other than if you haven't seen it you need to. It is one of the greatest movies of all time I think.

Mystic River begins with great promise. It is photographed excellently with great overhead shots and scene blocking. The viewer is delivered straight into the scene of a horrifying child abduction and it is hard not to share empathy and/or trauma with the onscreen characters.About 30 yrs after the abduction we witness takes place is when the real story begins- a story of three neighborhood friends, one the shell shocked survivor of the earlier abduction (Tim Robbins), one a Boston homicide detective (Kevin Bacon)and one a former thug turned local shop owner (Sean Penn).

When Sean Penns late teen daughter is murdered, the three former buddies are reunited in the gritty Boston neighborhood of their chidhood.
There are some great moments here- director Clint Eastwood recreates the shock and disbelief that comes with unspeakable tragedy very well and he does an excellent job illustrating a fathers trauma and the very sad and surreal hours after the initial murder.

Mystic River failed me several ways. For such a compelling opening and build-up you will likely be disappointed by the plot turns the script takes. Implausible chains of events, past relations and a "perfect storm" timeline that confuses investigators. If the plot is examined realistically (Occams Razor anyone?) it becomes improbable and something more suited for a Cinemax straight-to-video erotic thriller. Minus the erotic of course.

Film budget and maybe more could have been saved by shooting Mystic River without the three big stars in the three big roles. Unknown or little know talents could have brought more credibility to the roles, particularly of Sean Penns New England tough guy act that wears thin and Tim Robbins basket case abuse victim who is good at affecting the facial expression of a damaged and lost soul but little else. Again, casting botches by trying to push the "versatility" of the leads when they could have made a better film even with known entities like Denis Leary or Chazz Palmenteri.

There are some great support roles. Marcia Gay Harden is first rate as the troubled wife of a troubled man whose inner fears and loyalty clash with every move of her eyes.Laurence Fishburne is very buyable as Kevin Bacons homicide detective partner who provides a certain clarity because of his lack of connection to the neighborhood crime scene. Eastwood does wrap things up nicely, though , with a couple of well acted/directed scenes that are very thought provoking despite the plot defects.

Flawed, but still worth a look.

Mystic River directed by Clint Eastwood is very unsettling and difficult film to watch. The beginning is tragic and the rest of the movie is a bit slow and one-dimensional. This is not Eastwood's best film, but the acting is superb thanks to Sean Penn. The performance that surprised me the most was Tim Robbins, he never stood out in his movies but this one he does and it's amazing. This film is a mixed bag, decide for yourself.

I wasn't sure what to expect with MYSTIC RIVER. I know that Clint Eastwood is a highly underrated director. I know that the stars were all part of a generation of actors known for the quality of their work. But something about this movie never made me want to rush to see it. I'm glad that I finally got to it.

The film opens with three young friends playing on the street, scraping their names in fresh cement. A police detective gives the kids a hard time for what they are doing and takes the one who doesn't live in the nearby houses home. The truth though is that this is not a policeman and he doesn't take him home. Rather young Dave Boyle is abducted by two pedophiles that he escapes from later.

The movie then jumps forward to present day where one of those youngsters now grown, Jimmy Markum (Sean Penn) owns his own market and watches as his daughter goes out for the night before his other daughters first communion. It is the last time he will see her alive. The next day she is found, murdered.

This sets about a chain of events and a reunion of sorts for the boyhood pals. The third member of the three is Sean Devine (Kevin Bacon) who is now a detective for the State Police. And the murder falls under his jurisdiction.

Young Dave has grown (Tim Robbins) and is still haunted by the experiences of his past. And the night that Jimmy's daughter was murdered Dave saw her and also came home covered in someone else's blood. Putting these items together, Dave's wife Celeste (Marcia Gay Harden) begins to wonder about her husband. He claims to have been mugged and to have beaten the mugger to death. But no newspaper articles make her doubt his story.

The main portion of the movie moves across the stories of the individuals involved. Jimmy wants vengeance and will do anything to find and kill the person responsible for his daughter's murder. Dave grapples with the demons of his past. And Sean just wants to believe that his friends can't be involved in the murder as he searches for the real killer. Each becomes a piece of the puzzle, the answer of which is not revealed until films end. But by then, the world is turned upside down and facts are misplaced.

While some might have thought this was a simple murder mystery, a whodunit put together by Eastwood, it is much deeper than that. It is a look into the psyche of three very different people who grew up together, who were affected by their past. The inner struggles of all three are different, but all tied into their past as well. And this makes for a drama unlike any mystery could hold.

Perhaps the biggest thing that this film offers is a ton of outstanding performances that will be hard to match in any current film. An assembly of talent such as this is rare in today's films. Most notable is Sean Penn as the father in turmoil. All accolades he received were well deserved.

Make a point of renting this one. You won't be disappointed. And the discovery of just who the killer is, whether it is Dave or perhaps Jimmy's daughter's boyfriend or someone else, makes for a fitting together of clues that mold well. Give this one a watch.

Again, I haven't read the book however the Movie does it all. I am sure there are things we all wish to forget. Moments in time in which our lives and the lives of others are altered by one singular movement, one phrase, or that one hockey shot that was just out of reach. Nothing is more true when it comes to the lives of Jimmy (Sean Penn), Sean (Kevin Bacon) and Dave (Tim Robbins). Mystic River is an emotional and amazing film about the reconciliation of three friends and their wives by the tragic murder of Jimmy's eldest daughter, Katie Markum (Emmy Rossum). This rough Boston suburb that lies on the bank of the Mystic River is thrown into sorrow and misery over the loss. Jimmy (Penn) makes a vow to find the killer of his daughter and end him and throw him into the Mystic.

The story is superb. Twists and turns and changing plot lines makes this story brilliantly unpredictable. It proves nothing is what it seems. Dealing with issues of child abduction and the effects it has on the future, Mystic River watches and deals with the change n the course of someone life. What something would be like if Dave hadn't gotten into that strangers car? Katie Markum would never had been born to be murdered.

The acting is bar none and has been recognized by the Academy by awarding Sean Penn and Tim Robbins best actor and best supporting role at the Oscars. Sean Penn was incredible in this film. He was so into his character. An angry gangster trying to move on with his life, and get out of his life of crime and deceit. To love his children and to be the best father he can be. Strong and determined, hard and angry he tries to deal with the grief of the loss of his last real memory of his late first wife. Penn is perfect in performing this role. Tim Robbins is also and incredible actor. A man who had been abused neglected. Finally admitting to himself of the abuse he felt. He kept himself bottled and up. An angry and almost psychopathic man, who is doing his best to try and overcome the terrors he experienced by hopping in the car. An ensemble cast also included: Laura Linney, Marcia Gay Haden, Laurence Fishburn.

Mystic River is truly amazing. Clint Eastwood is an incredible director. If you like Million Dollar Baby then you will simply love "Mystic River." Not to be missed.

I admit, it had me guessing and even surprised me. But all in all, I thought it was just good, not great. It had its moments, but it was bland at times and not too thought provoking.

This film is all about the actors. The premise, or so it is called, is paper-thin. Any hallmark tv movie can beat that to it. Instead of devolving into a mundane murder mystery, this film adds a new dimension right from the beginning. Three childhood friends playing on the streets of their small provincial town nearly got absconded by two pedophiles in a car. One of them was not that lucky, Dave (adult role played by Tim Robbins).

Dave escaped four days later but was so traumatized by the event, he remained a "basket case" for the rest of his life. His wife, Celeste (Marcia Gay Harden), being insecure and overly suspicious, didn't help matters either.

The Macguffin of this film which inevitably draws all three childhood friends together was the murder of Jimmy's (Sean Penn) 19 year old daughter, played by a pre-Phantom of the Opera Emmy Rossum. Sean (Kevin Bacon) is the investigating officer for the case. Somehow or rather, through a series of incredible coincidences, Dave became a prime suspect and...

I don't wish to spoil the ending. But for those who have seen the film, read on. In a way, all of the main characters contributed to Dave's death in the end. Although Jimmy was physically responsible, Celeste was indirectly responsible, for telling Jimmy about Dave, Sean and his Sergeant (a dominant Laurence Fishburne) for placing their suspicions on Dave. In a way, Dave is this sad little tragic Greek figure in a tragedy where fate has sealed his destiny and despite himself, he cannot save himself from the inevitable.

In closing, I would like to point out that Laura Linney's character deserved special mention. Even though, she barely had any screentime, 10 minutes or so, her last scene shared with Sean Penn, evoked such powerful emotions that she reminded me of Lady Macbeth, in a conniving manner, using subterfuge, she convinced Jimmy that what he had done (murdering Dave) was the right and moral thing to do, using reasons such as protecting his family and domain as "what a king would do", those were her exact words. This was followed by a parade sequence where she and Marcia's character would exchange wordless glances that speaks all. The lady exults a sense of underlying evil and the capability to commit even more vileness that would surpass her husband's reckless cruelty.

I've watched this movie over and over again and am always intrigued and entertained by this awesome group of actors. Sean Penn gives a chilling performance, that gives me goosebumps every time his most intense scene is on the screen. Highly recommended - you won't be disappointed.

Mystic River is a director's dream when it comes to the cast. Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, and Kevin Bacon all give excellent performances in this flawed masterpiece. The supporting casts exemplifies the material perfectly. One of the best of 2003.

This particular DVD is such and upgrafe from the barebones disc. The DVD features a commentary with Tim Robbins and Kevin Bacon and a few featurettes. Also included in this three disc release is the film's soundtrack.

Must Have.

I should rate it five stars I just can't do it. I think it is because this film is so tragic. I mean that in a good way of course, the story is just riveting! I think Tim Robbins turned in the best job of his career here, well he also did good in that Shawshank film and that was also based on a book. Well enough of that and back to Mystic River, a movie that has a lot of misunderstandings between the people in the movie. I do not care for Sean Penn but anything he does is good, the best was probably though when he was in Fast times at Ridgemont high. I do not mean a pun with the word high so stop snickering!

I really didn't like Mystic River very much because I thought it moved too slow. But I had to give it "a big thumps up," because the performances; while subtle, were believable and on target. I thought Penn's "Dead Man Walking," performance better showcased the full range of his talent. In any event, while I didn't care much for the movie, I have to admit it was well made.

It continually amazes me how people can look at the same thing and have such wide-ranging opinions of its worth. I found this film to my liking, although I didn't cotton to the ending. In order to enjoy this movie, one must have an attention span longer than 10 seconds, and one must enjoy drama that doesn't involve shooting and exploding and car chases and action that is unrealistic/absurd. The story is realistic, and the acting is superb. I love stuff that makes sense and is not in la la land.

Clint Eastwood makes boring movies. I don't know what else to say. It may just be that the cinemotography itself is dark so you fall asleep. It was a good film, with the acting saving it and though I never read the book, I heard it was like the book. Sean Penn deserved the Oscar but why this film got a Best Picture Nom. is beyond me. Eastwood is the golden child of the Academy and it is starting to get me mad

Sean Penn, without a doubt, is the heart and soul of this movie... Mystic River is one of the very best of Clint Eastwood's pictures and it features highly charged emotions in a great screenplay that flows beautifully despite the length of the film... It all comes back to childhood this is something (I think) we should all know - and something the characters in this movie discover as they fumble around trying to right the wrongs of the world.. Tim robbins' character (i try to be careful not to give away plot elements) is torn inside from a childhood experience and sees the world as a place where vampires roam and suck the blood of the innocent - something he takes upon himself to venge against.. Sean Penn's character is intent on finding justice himself following the death of his daughter.. and kevin bacon (who is a cop) is obviously trying to make up for the wrongs of the world - all three try and fail - because at heart they are children (like we all are) born to suffer in an unjust world.. Mystic river will make you cry if you truly let it break through your personal barriers.. Though i am not normally a fan of such movies (i generally find them predictable) 'mystic river', despite its rehashed dramatic techniques, works out - highly recommended..

Mystic River is a triumph for Clint Eastwood. Truly a moving film, Mystic River never lets your eyes wander from the screen as you're completely focused on this very disturbing story. A film capturing the adult lives of once childhood friends, played by Sean Penn, Tim Robbins and Kevin Bacon, you watch as they come together once again after what appears to be many years of brief and intermittent run-ins with each other.

Sean Penn plays somewhat of a wise, yet immature loose cannon of a man, Kevin Bacon as a MPD (Massachusetts) detective and Tim Robbins as the man whose life was forever altered because of a shocking childhood trauma, these three play off of each other very well. I wanted to reach out to each of them. There are moments where some may see Kevin Bacon's character as a bit flushed out, but it appears that this is more effective than not. We jump from age 10 to probably late 30's, early 40's of these three men and we learn little about them that helps to explain so much.

After Penn's daughter is brutally murdered, Bacon and Laurence Fishburne (a fine choice to partner with Bacon) take on the case to find her killer. The three friends are all shaken up (obviously Penn is destroyed over hiss loss) and the mystery seems to unfold quite rapidly. This is definitely one of the most intriguing mystery films I've seen in a long time.

Fans of those earlier mentioned should really enjoy this film. There are also some excellent and shocking performances by Laura Linney and Marcia Gay Harden. I highly recommend this film. Its disturbing and almost heart-wrenching (perhaps even angering) subject will attract any looking for a solid dramatic mystery with some very memorable characters. This is one to add to your collection.

I personally started liking Tim Robbins from Shawshank Redemption & Sean Penn from Dead Man Walking and I believe these were the movies these guys should have recieved oscar for their outstanding roles.
Keeping than in mind and seeing lot of recommendations I saw Mystic River which the review said was the best as far as Clint Eastwood was concerned
Again he had adapted another movie, Bridges of Madison County, which in my personal opinion was much better adaptation of a novel.
The story line eventhough is good about three friends meeting again by fate and all the script is not that strong. I actually fell asleep in between.
Off the cast my personal belief is Kevin Bacon was really good. Sure Tim
Robbins plays a character of sexually abused child with lot of conviction but even that was potrayed better in Shawshank Redemption where he is abused by a few inmates.
And the end is kind of loose.
Give it a miss

You have a cast that includes Kevin Bacon, Sean Penn, Laurence Fishburne, Tim Robbins, Laura Linney, and Marcia Gay Harden. This elite cast is directed by Clint Eastwood. The story is meaty and suspenseful. Can't miss, right?

It can and does miss, in my opinion. What makes it just miss is an acting fundamental that most did not pay attention to, and that is diction and enunciation. These actors use sotto voce too much, fake Boston accents with varying degrees of accuracy and precision, and generally speak as though they have a mouth full of marbles. I had to turn my TV volume to 48 to hear some of the dialogue. That dialogue is usually important in a movie or play, and in this film, it is critical. As any high school drama teacher will tell you...if the audience can't hear you, you are cheating them.

This is generally the only mar on an otherwise fine film. All of the actors turn in very good performances, particularly Tim Robbins, Sean Penn, and Marcia Gay Harden. Robbins plays David Boyle, a man who cannot escape the horror and trauma of his rape by pedophiles at a young age. He carries himself with sadness, and his internal rage and confusion show in his face and body. His wife Celeste is capably played by Marcia Gay Harden. Her fear grows as she comes to believe that her husband may have murdered a 19 year old girl. In a panic, she turns to the murdered girl's father (Jimmy) and tells him that she believes that her husband is the killer. In this scene of ultimate betrayal, Harden is at her best. We see it all...relief to have unburdened herself, but guilt and fear knowing that she has likely signed the death warrant of her own husband. Finally, there is Sean Penn's portrayal of Jimmy. Jimmy is an ex-con, who lost a wife as he was going to prison, and then loses the daughter of that wife. He is a man trying desperately to hold it together and operate within the legal rules of society. In the end, his desire for street thug retribution wins out, and his guilt is palpable. Penn turns in a great performance.

So, the movie basically goes from 5 stars to 3 stars because a director didn't insist on clear speech. But hey, if that doesn't bother you, you'll probably find this to be an outstanding, disturbing, impactful film.

Recommended.

mustic river is the worst eastwood movie ever well the acting is very good over all but the movie is very boring long and very disturbing it sucks .

I watched this last night. This movie made me feel like I had been beaten up and left on the sidewalk to crawl home. But, I'm not saying it was a bad film. Eastwood has hit home runs in the last several outings and he has aged his talents to a finely honed formula that rarely dissappoints. I am not familiar with the book that this is based on and frankly I don't want to know: the movie was upsetting enough.

A good drama should move you, should make you feel shaken and this film delivers. The script is very good, the actors all excellent. While the film seems to linger just a wee bit too long at the end, it caps off the story without leaving anything unsaid. Having said this, it also does not tie up every single loose end; we are left to figure it out for ourselves and the ambiguity that this invokes is acceptable.

Sean Penn gives a tremendous performance that is worthy of all the accolades. Following close to him is the evocative and always disturbing impressions we see in Tim Robbins' character. The themes of this film are nasty and not for the weak of heart or constitution. While it is not pleasant these things do happen and the story is told in a believable way.

While I am a big fan of all the main actors and of Eastwoods movies in general, the depth of pain this film oozes just makes me glad I watched it once and I think I'll take a very long rain check on seeing it again; at least for quite a while. Angst like this is taken in small doses. On the other hand, acting at this level rarely happens by such a stellar cast and in such a well orchestrated manner.

There are several outstanding features of Mystic River; the superb acting by the three male lead actors, the twisted unfolding plot, and the underlying theme of revenge and justice. I will discuss all three below.

You can not beat Sean Penn's acting in this film. He portrays a rough man of the streets, trying to hold a family together and run a business, in a working class blue-collar neighborhood. He is fully alive in this role, as protective father seeking the murderer of his elder daughter while simultaneously dealing with his intense grief. His wife, Laura Lenney, describes him best in the final minutes of the film, when she emotionally absolves him of the murder of a childhood friend he mistakenly believes killed his daughter. She evokes the Jungian archtype of the king as she tells him he is a king who protects his family and home and that he acted on the best evidence he had, even if that evidence is flawed.

Tim Robbins was amazing as the odd adult male who is still damaged by the childhood rapes he endures for 4 days at the hands of two male pediophiles. He now sees himself as a child continually trying to escape from the werewolves, which are the memories of the molestation he experienced. His oddity however marks him as a suspect for the murder of a 19 year old girl.

Kevin Bacon plays the tight competent policman, trying to control his emotions under all circumstances when we see evidence that this strategy drove his wife from him.

The story-line unfolds gradually, tragedy after tragedy, misunderstanding after misunderstanding, like a house of cards falling apart in slow motion. The interaction of the three main actors form the structure around which all the tragedy flows. Clint Eastwood paced this film very well, never rushing and never boring the audience.

Underlying the plot however is the themes of justice, revenge, and our connectedness in a web of relationships. The film asks whether justice can ever be obtained and is it right to take justice into our own hands. In this case we see two men try to take justice into their own hands, Sean Penn and Tim Robbins, and the tragedy that unfolds because of that.

However the film also displays our interconnectedness in that the dynamics of the tragedy are in the past and the tragedy continues into the future. As you watch, notice how much the murder of Just Ray by Sean Penn sets up the dynamic whereby Sean refuses to have his daughter date the son of Just Ray - a dynamic that begins the current tragedy of his daughter's death. So it is not just the molestation of Tim Robbin's character that sets the stage, it is also Sean Penn's murder of an old friend who betrays him that sets in play the death of his own daughter. On the day of her funeral, Sean Penn sits on his backporch, and addressing the trees and spirit of his daughter he says "I know that somehow I am responsible for your death, but I don't know how." The film reveals to him and to us how he was responsible.

The film does not end on happy note, for Sean Penn kills again and this time it is a damaged man, also a secret killer. In the final scenes a softball parade goes through town, the characters lock eyes, knowing that an impure justice has occurred with which they all must live and the young son of the deceased Tim Robbins, sitting on a float in his softball uniform, implies that it will cycle through again, unresolved, because justice and revenge are structures of human interaction and relationship, not absolutes.

This film received generally strong reviews and the actors in it have done well over the course of their careers. So, I gave it a shot.

I wont go into the story or plot line since thats covered in a zillion places. Lets talk about the actual films execution and "unfolding". The pace was about right and I felt ample was spent on setting things up. The movie flowed well and the acting was very good...definitely above average.

I guess what was missing was that little something extra...be it plot related or some type of revelation that kicks the story into high gear. It just didnt happen. The movie just plodded along, never becoming boring, but never becoming very gripping either. Perhaps I expected a little more suspense or tension. It was just follow the murder mystery with little clues or nuances thrown in here and there but never anything exciting. And NO, I dont mean I wanted to see some M. Night Shaylaman stupid twist either! The ending, while pretty ambiguous and potentially thought provoking was a little bit of a let down, at least in my opinion. I did like how the ending left it open ended a bit and made you wonder what happened afterwards to the characters.

Overall this film is worth watching but dont expect to see some type of a masterpiece. The reason it averages about 3.5 stars at Amazon is because it is really just an average movie...worth watching but probably not worth owning or watching again.

This is one of the worst movies I have ever seen. It's basically a movie about 3 kids who grew up together only one was emotionally scarred for life as a child. As they grow up they all go their seperate ways until another horrific event brings them all together again for one more sad, unsettling experience together. Does anyone grow or learn anything? No. Do the "bad guys" pay? No. It is difficult for me to say just how much this movie sucks without giving away the ending. Suffice to say that no one wins, innocent people get screwed over, and in the end - no one really learns anything. It's a thoroughly depressing movie with no point - unless the point is that life sucks. As if viewers don't have enough of their own problems, or as if real life isn't traumatizing enough - we are subjected to this horrible 2 1/2 hours of misery. I am not exaggerating - there is no redeeming value to this movie. Sure the acting is great, but what good is it with such a tragic story. And this is not like a Greek Tragedy or Shakespeare Tragedy - there are no heroes, no lessons to be learned, no moral to the story - it just makes you feel miserable and hollow and then nothing - just the credits rolling. This movie is so terrible that I would rather watch "Kazaam" than watch this again.

This is a great film, but it is very depressing and probably the bleakest film of Eastwood's career. Many have said that Clint's film, Million Dollar Baby, was depressing. That film was sad, but there was a sort of transendence at the end of it. This film has nothing like that. The 3 boyhood friends, played by Penn, Robbins, and Bacon, have all gone their seperate ways in life when they are reunited when Penn's daughter is murdered. After an inital meeting where they all share their grief, the tensions between the friends increase as the mystery unfolds. Robbins is especially good (and deserving of his Academy award) as the man who was molested as a young man, and who is permanently scarred because of it. While at first you feel sympathy for Penn's character, you realise slowly that Penn is really a cruel, brutal man. Bacon is very good as the detective, the only character of the three who really seems to be balanced, even though his wife has left recently, and he is a typically cynical detective. The film ends brilliantly on an ambiguous, dark note, with Kevin Bacon giving Penn a "I know what kind of person you really are" at the end of the film. This is a disturbing, brooding film, one of Eastwood's darkest (even darker than Unforgiven), but it's definitely worth all the accolades that it has received. It has the marks of a great tragedy, because like all tragedies, things never worked out for the best, they seemed to have worked out for the worst, but we're really not sure. Great film....

With a superb plot about the interrelated lives of three childhood friends, this movie has the emotional depth of classic Greek drama. The plot combines story lines over 25 years, of kidnapping and child abuse, armed robberies, betrayal, revenge, jealousy and murder in a completely convincing and thoroughly constructed script. I have watched it three times and am fully convinced that there are absolutely no holes in the story. Every single aspect of it is thought through and in line with the whole.
Yes, there is violence in the story, but does that make the movie a violent "show", as one review claims? Definitely not, much of the violence happens off screen or is not shown in a full and direct way. There is no violence peeping, no gloating in sordid details. Violence here is funtional and not overdone.
The actors are top notch, Sean Penn and Tim Robbins fully deserved their acting Oscars. The rest of the cast is on the same level, mainly Kevin Bacon, Lawrence Fishburn, Marcia Gay Harden, Laura Lynney. The directing is superb, Clint E. would have deserved a directing Oscar.
The movie, in my view, tells the story better than Dennis Lehane's novel. Apologies to the author, whom I respect a lot for his Boston crime fiction.

What is it with violent (pervertedly, randomly, and disgustingly violent) shows that have a modicum of emotional/relationship issues? Do they get a free pass of some kind? Do critics not know what to do with them? Not to be too simplistic but do people's minds turn to mush when presented with a film marketer's "mystical holy grail" of combining boy's likes with girl's likes. Violence with relatioship issues.

This show was terrible. (And all apoligies to those who liked this show but they all probably like a History of Violence as well....an even more atrociously terrible show). And I am someone who doesn't mind violent shows if they are good.

Bad, bad acting. Ridiculously dull dialogue. And a plot that made me want to vomit. And I didn't even bother to finish the show--but after reading the ending from other reviewers I now not only feel justified in my views, but emboldened enough to write this review.

MYSTIC RIVER is an excellent movie which deserved the ton of praise it received at the time it was released in 2003. The plot centers around the tragedy that unfolds as one of three boyhood friends is abducted by two pedophiles while playing on the street in a tough working class neighborhood in Boston. By the time the three former pals reach adulthood they are no longer friends, but the murder of a daughter of one of the men brings them back in contact with each other. This is definitely not a feel-good film but it is certainly unforgettable.

The leading roles are played by Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, Kevin Bacon and Marcia Gay Harden. The director is Clint Eastwood and the movie is based on a novel by Dennis Lehane.

This isn't a good movie, the dialogue and acting are not first class, it is not gritty, is is not amazing. Everything that Clint Eastwood touches does not turn to gold. The acting is painful to watch. The characters are mostly so objectionable, you hate them all. This is a mediocre thriller devoid of excitement. The murder is explained at the end but there are many holes in the story. The reasons for the killing were quite weak. This movie is slow and dull. Too many talky scenes between the policemen. How many more movies do we have to see with disagreeing cops?
The actors are pretending they are acting in a great movie. That sums it up for me. It's not a great movie. It's basically an extended TV show.

Here's my story with mystic river. Began reading the book, but got bored and gave the movie a shot since it was a very interesting story. The movie pulled me in just like the book, and Sean Penn's acting was very good. I thought Tim Robbins was horrible and could barely stand watching him. When you get to the point in the movie where everything ties together it is, at least for me, a let down. And, overall, it made this just a mediocre movie for me. However, Stephen King said in an Entertainment Weekly column that it was one of the best movies he's seen in years. So, take his opinion or mine.

PRO:
First, the acting too me was overall great work. Penn might have seem to have overacted, but it fit his character well (an ex-convict who loses somthing precious (his daughter) while trying to live a straight life). Robbins has the tougher character of trying to find peace in his life as he continues to struggle w/ coming to terms w/ his past (being sexually abused). Dave (Robbins) is basically slowly dying (methaporically) but still has some hope in overcoming his problems. So Robbin's character is very psycological and depressing and Robbins does a great job. Bacon's character was more dull. His wife left him and he's just trying to get her back. He's tough and seem to have good morals (is a good cop and even rejects a coworker's advances).

Second, the directing to me was fine. Nothing special. It got to the point and told the story nicely. But Eastwood seem to get more praise for the fact that he's a legendary actor then skill.

Third, the initial setup of the movie is great. Central to the storyline is basically the friendship of the 3 boys (Penn, Robbin, Bacon) and how they each had to endure the hardship of that tragic day. Mainly Robbins who remain traumatized. W/ the death of Penn's daughter, Robbins (the main suspect) descending towards insanity and w/ the cops (Bacon and Fisburne) and Penn slowly unravelling the murder, the build up was great.

CON:
No Central Theme or Morals
The movie tries to focus on the three main characters and how they were each affected by the tragedy but eventually it becomes obvious that its mainly about Penn and Robbins. Bacon wasnt that integral to the storyline. Penn was built up like a hero and you sympathize w/ him because of the grief he was experiencing. On the other spectrum the movie starts to make Robbins darker. The movie wants you to think Robbins is evil and capable of evil because he was sexually abused. Robbins' becomes almost unbearable to watch (great acting job) in a sense that hes overwrought w/ guilt and imprisoned by his own consciousness and memory. So you go from feeling sympathetic for Robbins to disgust.

But in the end it is Penn who is the evil one: a)winds up mistakenly kill Robbins and b) as we learn more about his past we find out he wasnt just a thief but a murderer too. Robbins resembles more of a hero when he confronts a pedophile in the act but wound up killing him (released his built up frustration and anger of not having a childhood). So although he unknowingly killed the pedophile he had the good intention and bravery of stopping the pedophile (confronting his past).

So what exactly is the point of this movie? Penn seeks his own justice and kills the wrong man. Robbins is overcomed by his past and leaves him alienated from his own family. He holds all of the memories and anything related to it in his mind as to protect his family from the evils of child abuse. So in a sense Robbins is like a martyr but in the end there is absolutely no sense of justice.

Penn gets off scot-free because Bacon as an ode to their friendship looks the other way. Bacon's character throughout the film was seen as a pretty decent guy but in the last act he becomes evil for this decision. The blood of Robbins is on both Penn and Bacon's hands. This is suppose to be a movie about the friendship of 3 young boys?

The ending is absolutely horrible and made no sense. Forget about morals. Penn feels some remorse but his stupid wife (Laura Lindsey) makes him out to be a hero? What?? Just because he loves and protects his daughters he's a good father but yet he just killed a little boy's father. What is going on here? Then w/ the stupid parade at the end, everyone is happy except for Robbin's wife (who is the only character feeling guilty for not trusting her husband and leaving him when he needed her the most)and son (in a very sad scene at the parade). Bacon is happy because he's reunited w/ his estranged wife and baby. And he gives Penn a gesture as if to say everything is fine now. And why would the movie end w/o Robbins' wife confronting Penn and Lindsay? The conflict isnt over. Penn did an evil deed and goes unpunished again (he's killed b4 too).

I watched the movie and expect more from the ending. When the final shot of the actual Mystic River came up i just had a great sense of emptiness. Much like the river the movie became transparent and underneath the river lied many horrors which the movie became. I expected a lot more from this movie. The ending was pretty dumb esp finding out that it was just 2 stupid boys acting like retards w/ a loaded gun? Even in tv shows like Law

I have not read the book, although my wife has and she said that the movie followed it quite well. I wanted to say that first because it's such a hollywood tradition to drastically change a novel when creating a film adaptation that they rape it of everything that made it special in the beginning. I'm glad to hear that Eastwood did not do that to Dennis Lehane's masterpiece (or so I hear that it is a wonderfull novel) That said, I was surprised at how well this movie was done. I mean, when a film is that glorified it better be perfect, and I really was expecting to be let down, but to my shock I was not, not at all. The acting I must admitt was amazing, especially on the part of Tim Robbins who plays Dave Boyle, the grown man still trapped in the mind of the child he once was. The story revolves around three friends years after one of them was molested. That one was Dave. Now they are all grown and have moved on. Jimmy Markham (Penn) is a one time crook (or is it one time) who is now married and has a beautiful daughter Katie (Emmy Rossum from Phantom of the Opera). Dave is also married to Marcia Gay Harden's charactor and Sean Devine (Kevin Bacon) is now a police detective. All three of these men have rarly kept in touch (especially Kevin Bacon's charactor) but are all forced to interact after Jimmy's daughter is brutally murdered, Dave becomes the prime suspect and Sean has to investigate. The story itself is gripping and the whole charactor study was wonderfully exicuted. Both Laura Linney and Marcia Gay Harden did wonderful jobs as supporting and yet greiving wives, one as she deals with the loss of a daughter and the other while she struggles with the idea that her husband is a killer. I was in tears by the end of the film (for more than one reason) for this is one of the most moving films I've ever seen. I will say this. Sean Penn was great, but I felt his performance in 21 Grams was better. Tim Robbins is the reason this film works so well...just watching his charactor move you can see all that he is and you know that Tim became Dave Boyle...and that is a good thing, a very good thing...How Lord of the Rings beat this as best film of the year I'll never understand...

This is a very good movie, thanks to a great performance by Sean Penn. From the beginning I was pulled into this movie, I really wanted to know how it would end and how it ends is a shock. Eastwood really captures working class Boston, it was filmed on location, you can almost smell the clam chowder. At times Eastwoods movies are a bit long, but this one is paced well and it really never lulls. Laura Lindley is also very good as are Kevin Bacon and Tim Robbins. If you enjoy movies then I really can't imagine you not liking this movie, it is loaded with great preformances and the ending makes the journey worth it. Penn flat out earned his Oscar.

The first time I watched it the first scenes of the movie quickly grasped my attention and didn't let me go until the last scene of the movie during the 'Passing Parade'. Truly riveting, the watcher is taken through the lives of three friends torn apart by one event that changed them forever. Brought back together by the murder of Jimmy's (Sean Penn) eldest daughter, Sean (Keven Beacon) struggles against time to solve the case before Dave (Tim Robbins) is wrongly accused. Winner of two academy awards, Mystic River is the one movie to see, and to appreciate for the true artistic composition of Clint Eastwood as he weaves together yet another classic for the ages.