(**SPOILERS**) The point of this movie is....

Rating: 9/10 (5 November 2003)

Don't let your emotions guide your decision making, you'll come up wrong every time! Mystic River is an emotional roller coaster of personalities and heart wrenching realities. Starting with the sexual abuse of an innocent child, which strengthens the old cliché, "only the strong shall survive". Next there's the death of a 19 year old teenager that tears a father to pieces, not to mention the audience. It was a brutal and senseless killing that impacted every family in this story. Finally, there's another not as innocent killing that could have taken down more families but only showed us what an untrusting, non-supporting, wife could accomplish with her emotions leading the way.
The only problem I had with this movie was how long it took to get to the truth. Sean Penn delivered another flawless performance -- I really believe he should get an Oscar soon -- he's too good not to join the ranks of those who have been awarded the priceless statuesque. Also, Tim Robbins delivered one of his best performances as a man whose spirit had been mentally weakened as a result of being sexually abused over a 4 day period when he was abducted as a child. Fine performances were delivered by all and if you read the review about the music being over whelming, don't believe it, that's always been the way Hollywood portrayed drama. The music is nothing new. Finally, if you believe in the Almighty, the ending says it all!
Clint Eastwood has finally arrived as a director -- this is the best movie I've seen under his direction. I left the theater feeling a little happy, a little sad and a little more knowledgeable about the role emotions can play if you let them. I give Mystic River a 9 because it kept me in suspense -- I actually could not figure out "who done it", I was thoroughly entertained and I actually learned a little somethin', somethin'.