In Praise Of Lynch Law

Rating: 7/10 (2 July 2005)

An expectedly reactionary piece of work from Clint Eastwood (of Dirty Harry fame).
Mystic River (or is that Mastic River?) is a movie about an Irish American neighborhood of Boston. Three friends are torn apart by a traumatic event in their youth, but grow into middle age living in close proximity of each other.
I agree that the acting is well done. I usually don't like Sean Penn or Tim Robbins, but in this movie their acting puts any previous performances to rest.
The problem I have, is that according to the Laura Linney character (but it's really Clint speaking) that yeah, if you murder someone out of righteous revenge, and you KILL THE WRONG PERSON, that's OK, because you meant well. You have a big heart, you cared too much, bla, bla. Just drink a bottle of whiskey to show you're sorry, and you'll be okay, the cops will look the other way, etc.
Small point - the pedophile that Tim Robbins beats to death is with his car. So how can he be filed as "John Doe" in the morgue? How about license plates, drivers license, etc.