Pretentious melodrama

Rating: 5/10 (19 July 2004)

The movie follows faithfully a mediocre thriller/melodrama
by Dennis Lehane.
I can't believe Eastwood found a beach read to be worthy of putting on
the screen!
Performances are OK (especially Robbins), but not remarkable. Incredible that Sean Penn got the Oscar for his very ordinary effort! He's the same old Sean Penn we've seen in so many other movies.
By the way, there is nothing 'dark' or 'dramatic' or 'powerful'
about this movie; just a bunch of contrived, ridiculously melodramatic plot gimmicks trying to makes us feel we watching some sort of modern version of Greek tragedies (or something).
All in all, a faithful rendition of Lehane's thriller. Masterpiece it aint, sorry.