Profoundly moving

Rating: Null/10 (25 October 2003)

The great Clint Eastwood's powerful character study "Mystic River" is a stirring and beautifully crafted tale of three male childhood friends. Many years later, as full-grown adults, their lives suddenly turn back to intertwine following the mysterious murder of the 19-year-old daughter of one of the men.
Not only was I impressed by the stellar cast assembled for this film, but I was deeply moved and saddened by the unfortunate twists and turns many people's lives took in this raw, unflinching crime drama. It's a serious, masterfully told piece of work, and everything from acting to direction to music is (not surprisingly) solid across the board...even though at times, admittedly, the film's somewhat dreary, schmaltzy tone could get a little manipulative; thankfully, such is a very, VERY minor complaint in a sea of praise for this amazing piece. One can't stop raving about the performances themselves - particularly from the spectacular trio of male leads: Sean Penn, Tim Robbins and Kevin Bacon. Absolutely astonishing and Oscar-worthy - every single one of them, and then some (supporting players, etc.) Granted, it took me a little while to get used to their sometimes grating Boston accents, but in time their convincing personalities and dilemmas grew on me heavily.
In a time where, to be brutally honest, the amount of genuinely good films is dwindling to a respectable few, "Mystic River" is a very welcome surprise for me. Taut, suspenseful, and emotional, it's a wonderful start to the much-anticipated fall season of potential award-winning films.