Mystic River film review

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MYSTIC RIVER

Clint Eastwood showed with his directorial debut in 1971, the taut thriller Play Misty For Me, that he is a consummate craftsmen. He has subsequently shown that when married to the right material, he is capable of masterful work, as exemplified by 1991's Unforgiven. With Mystic River, he has again found a project that lends itself perfectly to his unhurried, methodical style. The result is an engrossing, moving drama driven by powerful performances.

Eastwood does not concern himself with showy gimmicks or extravagant technique, instead he is content to focus on the story and the characters. It's a belief that is served well by Brian Helgeland's adaptation of Dennis Lehane's novel, and a top drawer cast who all turn in fine work.

It's ironic that someone who made his name as a ruthless, cold blooded killer in films where life was cheap can make so effectively a piece about the pain and anguish brought about by death. Mystic River also deals with fate by highlighting one incident in the lives of three young boys that impacts their futures.

Jimmy (Sean Penn), Dave (Tim Robbins) and Sean (Kevin Bacon) were childhood friends on the streets of Boston when, following a prank, Dave was abducted by two men for four days. The harrowing ordeal left him psychologically damaged and while he tries to maintain a normal life, with a wife Celeste (Marcia Gay Harden) and son, his past continually haunts him. On the surface both Jimmy and Sean appear to have fared better, but it's clear neither has emerged unscathed from the experience.

Jimmy is a tough ex-con who keeps an eye on the neighbourhood from his corner shop. Sean is an FBI homicide detective whose career flourishes while his personal life is in ruins. Having drifted apart, all three men find their lives tragically reconnected when Jimmy's teenage daughter is brutally murdered.

Penn is at his volatile best as the vengeful Jimmy. Robbins captures stirringly Dave's desolation while Bacon has never been better than as the assured but vulnerable Sean. All are more than ably abetted by the strong supporting cast that includes Laurence Fishburne as Sean's resolute partner.