"We Bury Our Sins...We Wash Them Clean......"

Rating: 9/10 (18 September 2004)

**POSSILBE SPOILERS**
When they were kids growing up together in a rough section of Boston, Jimmy Markum, Dave Boyle and Sean Devine spent their days playing stick-ball on the street, the way most boys did in their blue-collar neighborhood of East Buckingham. Nothing much out of the ordinary ever happened, until a moment's decision drastically altered the course of each of their lives forever.
Twenty-five years later, the three find themselves thrust back together by another tragic event the murder of Jimmy's 19-year-old daughter. Now a cop, Sean is assigned to the case and he and his partner are charged with unraveling the seemingly senseless crime. In the wake of the sudden and terrible loss of his child, Jimmy's mind becomes consumed with revenge and his own plans to find the killer.
Caught up in the maelstrom is Dave, now a lost and broken man fighting to keep his demons at bay. As the investigation creeps closer to home, his wife Celeste becomes consumed by suspicion and fear, while Jimmy's wife, Annabeth, draws her family tighter together in order to weather the storm and keep the peace.
There are times in my life, when I'm watching a movie, and I saw to myself, "So this is why film was invented?' Well, when watching "Mystic River", that saying came to my mind. The performances by Sean Penn, Kevin Bacon and Tim Robbins are outstanding. Penn and Robbins were both given Academy Awards for best acting, and rightfully so.
The film was also nominated for Best Actress in a "Supporting Role, Best Director, Best Picture and Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published". The only films that I have seen of Clint Eastwood's, Director wise, are "A Perfect World" and "Unforgiven". Both are quite good. My favorite of the two is "A Perfect World".
I never did read the novel. And now that I have seen and loved the film, I don't plan to. Because I may love the novel and end up hating the movie or something. It's the same way with "Fight Club" for me. Again, the cast is quite an amazing one at that. With Laurence Fishbunre giving a very well done performance as Devine's partner.
Marcia Gay Harden plays Dave's wife and also gives it her all. Her performance is very convincing. I didn't really like Laura Linney in this movie. She didn't really seem to be at all interested in what was going on or something, I don't know lol.
Eastwood takes this film seriously. Like there does not seem to be one good thing in anyone's life in this movie. All except for the one that gets murdered. The ending leaves you thinking, and a bit sad. At least I was. I saw this movie in theaters, and this one of the few times I have left a theater speechless.
****1/2/*****