A classic slow burn!

Rating: Null/10 (31 October 2003)

Clint Eastwood's films have always been slowly paced but are usually absorbing in a very satisfactory manner if you allow yourself to watch his films to the very end. 'Mystic River' is no exception to this rule. This is Eastwood's most powerful film since since Oscar winning 'Unforgiven' in 1992.
Eastwood has said that he likes working with actors who can direct. Here, Sean Penn and Tim Robbins, both of whom I hope will be Oscar nominees for best actor and best supporting actor, are former directors with Robbins getting an Oscar nomination for his work behind the camera on 1995's 'Dead Man Walking' when he directed Sean Penn who is also a fine director in his own way.
'Mystic River' is the story of lower middle class people in Boston who have to deal with tragedies of the past and present. Their lives are turned upside down as the past seems to affect the present and we see that wounds of the soul never fully heal in this life. Sean Penn's 19 year old daughter is murdered and two police officers (Kevin Bacon and Laurence Fishburne) search for answers to this horrible crime.
Tim Robbins gives the best performance in the film as a man trying to cope in his adulthood with being kidnapped, confined, beaten and raped as a child by two grown men. His zombie like persona is astonishing to watch. He has a constantly blank, meaningless expression to reflect the pain. The torment and sadness in his life are something you would not wish on your worst enemy.
Scripted by Brian Helgeland from the book by Dennis Lehane, 'Mystic River' is a cold, bleak, depressing but ultimately watchable and fascinating film dealing with powerful issues that affect everyday average people. The film's character development leaves you feeling something strange. You'll feel and perceive something about the characters Penn and Robbin play when the film is over as opposed to what you saw when the film's main strengths start coming through earlier in the film and I haven't seen that too often in the movies.