Clint's Masterpiece

Rating: 9/10 (8 October 2007)

Three friends from the Irish neighborhood in Boston, one of them was abused when he was child, the other, an ex-convict, now the local mob whose daughter was kidnapped and murdered and the third one is the police officer who investigates the murder. Clint Eastwood's (at the age of 73!) darkest and most depressing film is a psychological character study, superbly directed, written and edited which focus on the community relationships and the way these persons lost ourselves. Sean Penn (Jimmy is a truly Shakespearean hero) and Tim Robbins (Dave, the child who was abducted and abused) won well-deserved academy awards for their performances but the unique cast (including Kevin Bacon as the third friend, Laura Linney as Jimmy's tough wife and Marcia Gay Harden as Dave' wife) is equally great. Best film from the American Film Industry for this decade ('till now...)