truely the years best! Eastwoods masterpiece!

Rating: 10/10 (19 October 2003)

Mystic River, a film I have been anticipating for months, gave me more than I could have ever expected. Clint Eastwood has delivered the finest film of his career. Mystic River, a tragic, yet needed to be made film, introduces us to three childhood friends who meet with unspeakable tragedy. Set in Boston, friends Jimmy (Sean Penn) Sean (Kevin Bacon) and Dave (Tim Robbins)are confronted by two men and Dave is ultimately abducted and abused before making his escape. Their lives will never be the same again.
Fast-foreward 25 years later. Sean is now a detective investigating the murder of Jimmy's daughter. Jimmy, who is now an ex-con, runs a local convenience store. Dave is now a father himself and is visibly still impacted by the events that occured 25 years earlier. The three friends, who are now estranged, are reunited as the evidence begins to unfold and Dave is considered a prime suspect in the murder. What follows is a tragic, brutal ending that will unlikely be forgotten.
What I liked most about this film is that it does not give us a hollywood feel. This would not be a good film if it ended differently or the way hollywood would want it to end. Eastwood slams the audience into the lives of these men and shows us what we sometimes choose not to see, real life and how tragedy affects us. I cannot praise Eastwood enough for this film. There has been talk of oscar nominations for Mystic River. Best Picture, best director, best actor, best supporting actor, best supporting actress, best screenplay, and the list goes on. Never have I seen a cast like this. The film was excellently crafted and Eastwood has done a stellar job. This is without a doubt the best movie I have ever seen. 10/10