Intense slow burner, with a chilling plot, yet puzzling ending!

Rating: 7/10 (31 October 2003)

The idea of this movie is fantastic. Three young boys meet again in adulthood when one of their daughters is murdered - one is the father, one is the detective, and one is the suspect, this film had all the makings of a great crime thriller. Sean Penn is thoroughly convincing as Jimmy and his scenes certainly stir up the greatest emotions, particularly the harrowing scene near the end with Robbins, on the shores of the "Mystic River". Bacon is typically good, not outstanding, but he does a good enough job. Laurence Fishbourne was rather wasted in this movie, i couldnt help thinking his part could have been played by any actor of semi-good calibre - it's hard to not think of him in his Matrix role. This movie had a lot to offer, and some good plot twists which you could only really predict near the end, but for some reason it seemed to drag - I put this down to the director. Eastwood seems to always go for the intense facial shots and never allow a moment to relax and prepare for the tension to come - it certainly wasn't the movie to take popcorn into! The tension was superbly done in the big scenes with the lead actors, particularly when Penn finds out his daughter is dead, but i felt a little more variation in tension would have made the film easier to watch. I struggle to think of the point the movie was trying to make. Here's my shot: it was saying that a man will do what he has to in order to protect his family, and this is the way they are brought up - hence the slightly disturbing conversation between Jimmy and his wife at the end. A slightly weak point to make in my opinion, and certainly one that you would not want to encourage. You leave the theatre feeling dissatisfied at the injustice of the movie. All that should not take away from the fact that it was certainly worth a watch, and it is a great plot, with some fine acting performances.