Very Problematic

Rating: 5/10 (5 February 2004)

Glad to see there are other disappointed viewers of Mystic River. This is the movie that could have been good based on the story. But the actual script, directing and yes, acting , are off just enough so that the parts to do not add up to an exceptional whole. Sean Penn was really "ACTING" as hard as he could, Marcia Gay Harden seemed overly fidgety and pathetic. SPOILERS: The biggest weaknesses of this movie are the story elements- why did Sean Penn's relationship with his daughter seem incestuous and yet that was never examined, why is Tim Robbins in a gay cruising area when he attacks and kills a man, what does Kevin Bacon's estranged wife have to do with any of this (except to confirm that it's a "happy" ending for him), why does Laura Linney suddenly turn into Lady Macbeth at the end- excuse me, was Lady Macbeth even in this film before the end? And the main thread of the movie- who killed Sean Penn's daughter- oops, it was just a couple of foolish kids and they don't know why they did it. Oops, sorry. The potential for tragedy is so untapped here- the little kid that actually committed the murder should have done it for revenge- Sean Penn killed his father years before! Hello, why is there no connection here other than a weak coincidence that up til then had been the PLOT! Clint Eastwood dropped the ball big time.