Engaging, but not superlative

Rating: 8/10 (23 January 2004)

* possible spoiler ahead *
I wanted SO badly to see this movie after all the good things I'd read about it. Now that I have, hmm, I think it's good, quite good, but not as fantastic as I was led to believe.
Others have raved about Sean Penn's performance, but honestly, to me it looked as if his "Dead Man Walking" character got a last-minute reprieve, went back home to Boston and settled down. As others here have said, gee, Sean Penn playing a tough guy, that's a stretch.
Kevin Bacon's and Tim Robbin's characters are more interesting. But geez, what's eating these two? Dave Boyle doesn't like cops, even good cops, even cops who used to be his friend. So what happened? Their unsolved dispute, which we never learn anything about, leads to tragic consequences, starting with when Davey doesn't go to the police after he'd been cut. Then Davey's wife clams up too, tragically, before spilling her heart to the wrong people. Why? The characters never let on, and the director provides no flashbacks.
There's more I could complain about, LIKE THE MUSIC THAT CUTS IN LIKE SOME TWIT WITH A BOOMBOX, or compliment, like the way the light falls on Dave's face. Also, I enjoyed Larry Fishburne pushing his partner, and the way Marcia Gay Harden's character contrasted with Laura Linney's. Linney as Sean Penn's wife reminded me of a person who feels safe by keeping a big dog in their yard that menaces the rest of the neighbourhood.
But it all comes down to the last scene, when we watch the characters look across at each other as they watch the parade. Veeerrrrry interesting. I'll watch Mystic River again sometime.