The Best Movie of the Year

Rating: Null/10 (4 November 2003)

They say good things happen in threes and they are right. The past few days I have been on a movie binge. I saw "Radio" and enjoyed the story and the movie (and am still trying to figure out why critics hated it), "Brother Bear" with my son (great but not classic Disney), and now "Mystic River".
Simply put, "Finding Nemo" had been my choice (and my son's) choice for best movie of the year (and it seemed to be the critics favorite as well). Well, "Mystic River" now gets my vote. It is a tragic story, based on a superb novel by Dennis Lehane. If you read the book, the movie is very faithful to it, no "Hollywood Happy Ending" here.
Clint Eastwood and his cast have created a story that pulls you in will not let you go. The tragedy here is that the Academy Awards cite individual performances. I wish there was away the whole cast and crew could get an award as a group because to single out one or two folks from what is a truly classic ensemble seems unfair. However, if you had to I guess Sean Penn and Tim Robbins stick out. Eastwood will definitely get a Director nod. The Screenplay will get cited as well. I think and hope that Marcia Gay Harden and Laura Linney both get nominated as their roles really are the key. Marcia Gay Hardens portrayal of a wife who loves her husband but doubts him and unwittingly betrays him is a classic. The last scene of her looking for husband (Robbins) and realizing she is the reason for his fate is haunting. I saw an artile that summed up Laura Linney's character as Lady Macbeth. I think that is very apt.
This was my favorite movie this year. Sorry Son :)