That's One Gloomy River

Rating: 7/10 (26 August 2010)

I feel the way about "Mystic River" that I do about a lot of Clint Eastwood's movies: they seem really good while I'm in the middle of watching them, but they fall apart when I think back on them.
"Mystic River" suffers from Eastwood's at times too heavy hand. The acting is stellar and the atmosphere is effective. But the whole thing is sold too hard as an epic tragedy to completely work. It would have to be much more stylized overall to make that tone work, but Eastwood's straight-forward approach as a director is the exact opposite of stylized, and the whole thing is too morose and gloomy to be credible.
Sean Penn and Tim Robbins received all the attention and acclaim for their performances, but I most remember Kevin Bacon as a one-time childhood friend turned cop, and Laura Linney, briefly terrifying as a gangster moll wannabe.
Grade: B+