It has many depths...

Rating: 9/10 (25 October 2005)

IMDb #160... They're having a laugh. Mystic River was robbed of many Oscars, especially Best Direction, as I believe Clint Eastwood has created a dark, harrowing tale of innocence lost, and the pain that will always come out of death and tragedy. Tim Robbins... The best character in the film, is sublime as Dave Boyle, a man who in his childhood was subjected to awful experiences at the hands of a malevolent abductor. Sean Penn... The winner of the coveted 2003 Best Actor Oscar, for which I think he deserved, only because Tim was categorised as mere support, but really I think this is a dubious categorisation. If Tim had been in the Best Actor nomination category, he'd have walked away with it. Nonetheless, Penn plays Jimmy Markum, one of Dave's childhood buddies, who watched as he was taken away. Sean Penn does have genuine acting flair in his part. Kevin Bacon plays Sean Devine the other childhood buddy who watched Dave get taken as well. The story however is not about childhood, as you probably gathered as each Tim, Sean and Kevin are all over thirty years old. In fact the film is set years after the tragedy, with the events looming upon each of them, like some dark figure. This event is echoed to each of them via names written in cement, and drains that sucked in hockey balls during their childhood games on the streets, and they often relive the sight of Dave in the back seat of his abductors car looking out at them as he is taken away. Of course there is an aura of mystery behind the now grown-up Dave Boyle. He has a rather gentle way about him, which is also enigmatic. He stutters, indicating he has some sort of long, deep-planted memory of what happened in the dark, dank cellar of his kidnapper long long ago. Okay... Cut to the chase... The film doesn't dwell on this, it just lingers. The three no longer have anything more than a quick nodded 'hello' to offer when they meet each other. Jimmy owns a convenience store, and is plagued with a previous jail sentence and criminal life he'd like to forget. Sean is a homicide detective. and Dave... Well he's got his life sorted, he's got a nice wife and a son whom he loves dearly... Sounds like everything is fine. Wrong. The film is actually a 'whodunit' and the victim is Jimmy's nineteen year old daughter, Katie. This one event brings the three together. Jimmy is obviously the caring father who has sworn to God, to kill the person who killed his daughter. Sean is the homicide detective trying to figure out who's done it, and Dave... well he's a suspect. The film is dark, sleepy, very in-depth and very dramatic piece. You won't find many better Clint Eastwood films out there... It is fantastic, and I seriously urge you to see it.