Mean Creek

Plot synopsis:
When small and shy Sam admits to his older brother Rocky that the school bully, a dyslexic boy named George, has hurt him because he moved George's video camera while George was filming himself playing basketball, Rocky devises a plan to exact revenge on George.
Rocky recruits his friends, Clyde and Marty, to assist him with his plan. Part of the prank entails taking George on a boating trip to celebrate Sam's birthday party. The ultimate joke, in their opinion, will be when they get him to strip in a game of truth or dare, then make him run home naked.
Sam invites his girlfriend Millie along. He does not tell her the plan until they arrive near the river. Millie refuses to continue until Sam promises that he will call the plan off, which Sam agrees to do. Sam tells his brother to stop, and Rocky tells his friends what Sam has conveyed to him. Although Clyde has no problem with it, Marty is very reluctant to not go through with the plan. Throughout the trip, George attempts clumsily to fit in with the others by telling rude jokes, which the other members of the group do not find amusing. Despite his seemingly desperate attempts to fit it, George also gets confrontational when questioned about his motives (or lack of) when attacking someone. The group soon realizes that although George is annoying and is extremely insecure, he is very lonely and just wants to be accepted.
On the boat, Marty deviates from the others' plan and initiates a game of truth or dare, though the rest decide to go along. After George shoots Rocky with a water gun in good fun, George makes a funny quip about Marty's father, not remembering that it is a sore subject as Marty's father killed himself. This sets off Marty who dares George to strip naked and jump in the water. When he doesn't comply, he exposes the whole plan and starts to ridicule him.
Angered and humiliated, George launches into a vulgar tirade against everyone else on the boat, ending by crudely mocking Marty's dead father. Marty snaps and Rocky, in an attempt to stop the fight, accidentally pushes George off the boat. Unable to swim, George struggles to remain afloat in the water. As the others regard the scene in horror, George accidentally hits his head with his video camera and does not come to the surface. Rocky dives into the water but is unable to find George. Minutes later, George appears face down in the shallow water close to the shore. Rocky exhorts the others to help him bring George to shore, where Millie gives him CPR. The effort is in vain as George is dead and it is apparent that he cannot be revived.
The group is traumatized and in fear of being charged with murder. They dig a hole and bury George. Clyde's plan is to explain that it was an accident but Marty threatens them, gaining the complicity of both Clyde and the rest of the group. As they had already tricked George into not telling his mother where he was going, she would not know of their involvement. Marty speaks to the only witnesses of George with the group, his brother and his brother's friend, and they agree to keep quiet.
Marty goes to tell the news to his friends, who have all gathered at Sam and Rocky's house. They are willing to accept the consequences as opposed to having the guilt of George's death hanging over their heads. Marty refuses to turn himself in and feels betrayed by all of them. He storms out and convinces his brother to give him his gun and car. The brother again agrees to the favor, albeit reluctantly. Marty robs a gas station with the gun and drives off, becoming a fugitive. Meanwhile, the others go to George's house and confess to his mother.
Sam is later seen in a confession room, telling the story to the police, who later find and view the tape from George's video camera. In a final scene, audio of George explaining his dream of becoming a filmmaker and documenting his life in hopes that those who see it will finally understand him plays in the background while Sam watches the sheriff exhume George's body.

Tags: dramatic, revenge, violence, prank

Review:
No one has any whiny special requests, and no one refuses to share a room with someone.Guess that explains why this movie made no sense to my friend.However, if you are an American, as I am, this movie is deeply touching, and may even bring back unsettling childhood memories of bullies.Scott Mechlowicz is certifiably great in this movie, as is Josh Peck, who plays George, the bully.
This movie is best seen knowing as little as possible about the plot.I think if I had to defend American movie making against all the criticism of how Hollywood depends on special effects, big name actors, and lurid story lines, I would choose this movie as proof that American movies are still the best in the world.Addition added January 16, 2009: I have been writing reviews here for over three years.
Jacob Aaron Estes really captures the essence of what its like to be a male adolescent...the dialogue feels like its coming straight from the heart.This movie portrays the state of mind of a teenager beautifully.
In Oregon, when the bully George Tooney (Josh Peck) beats his schoolmate Sam Merric (Rory Culkin), his older brother Rocky (Trevor Morhan) schemes a prank with his two also teenager friends Clyde (Ryan Kelley) and Marty (Scott Mechlowicz) seeking revenge.
When they decide to play "truth or dare" in the middle of the river, the truth about the prank is disclosed to George and he offends the boys mostly the traumatized Marty, leading the group to an accident with tragic consequences."Mean Creek" is a simple, real, powerful and impressive story.
Feature-film newcomer Jacob Aaron Estes' prank-gone-too-far morality tale isn't as riveting as 'Deliverance', but his 'Mean Creek' hits many of the same haunting notes.
After all, George the bully (Josh Peck) is just a fat fool who might even be a nice guy.Ah, but a good film never lets its characters off the hook that easily.
amazing piece of film you end up feeling making...sorry for the bully, but then things just down down hill.....watched it on a date, and i must say it was better than what we say the previous day....i recommend it to everyone.
The acting was also exceptional, and the actors captured all the strong emotions caused by a death and regret, but in a subtle way.The story slowly reveals the characters' true selves as they travel along a river, planning to pull a prank on George (Josh Peck), a local bully who has dangerous mood swings, and beat up Sam (Rory Culkin).
But instead Mean Creek is an understated and surprisingly thought-provoking film that has understandably been notching up a few awards worldwide.Sam, a young lad (maybe about 12) gets a serious kicking from a very overweight boy, George, who flies into a rage when Sam goes near his camcorder.
One of the threads of the film suggests that the heavy-handedness of the justice system draws people into criminality because they feel that, having strayed a little, they have no choice but to embrace a life on the wrong side of the law.When I was at school (in a time when caning had almost, but not quite, been completely phased out), I had been bullied frequently by one boy (who picked on many kids).
The characters are realistic and believable, the dialogue is realistic and believable, and the situation the cast faces is realistic and believable.George Tooney (Josh Peck) is a school bully who has been beating up and harassing Sam Merric (Rory Culkin) for a while.
Sam's older brother, Rocky (Travor Morgan), and Rocky's two friends, Marty (Scott Mechlowicz) and Clyde (Ryan Kelley), scheme up a plan to get back at George for bullying Sam. The plan is simple: invite George to a boating trip for Sam's fake birthday, strip George naked, throw him into the water, and have him walk all the way home naked.
However, George's insults soon go too far, which sets off the main conflict of the movie.I like how the film is so realistic in its depiction of teenagers and bullying and ways of dealing with conflict.
I was especially impressed with Rory Culkin (Macaulay's more talented brother), Carly Schroeder as the well-intentioned girl, and Josh Peck as fat unpopular George, who clearly wants to be popular yet can't help being unpleasant.
Mean Creek shows the tale of a young boy who is bullied in school one day and he tells his brother and his brother gets his gang and makes a plan to get payback.The plan is to fake the little kids birthday and go on a boating trip in the woods.It all turns out that the bully is just a misunderstood kid that has problems in reading stop signs and minds his own business and likes filming stuff.Later,they decide to call the plan off but one lad doesn't want to abandon the plan and tries to make the plan work himself.Josh Peck stars in this movie and plays the part as the bully who is not a bully at all.I'm not a fan of the T.V show Drake and Josh but I watch it sometimes and I think that Josh Peck does a great job in this movie.This is recommended to Drake and Josh fans and if you like drama movies.The acting was very good and had a few funny moments and memorable moments that won't go away.I would watch this again because I enjoyed this movie..
In "Mean Creek," they break out of the clichés and become characters with real depths, problems and insecurities.The teenagers, however, don't take up the centre of the story; Sam, played by Rory Culkin, does.
Adolescence, while making the body more mature, seems, for a while at least, to have the opposite effect on the mind.Sam is bullied at school by George (Josh Peck), an overweight, arrogant and lonely boy who films almost everything with his digital video camera.
Watching these kids together, I got a sense of a real group of people, rather than characters who simply advance the plot with every line of dialogue.Having young people acting in a movie isn't always entirely successful, but this team pulls it off.
"Mean Creek" is a film about high school aged kids who conspire to get even with a school bully with a prank which goes seriously wrong.
Not here this film does not take one wrong turn, it gives the grief, it gives the conversation that we usually would never here (you'll know it when you hear it)To make this movie even better it is almost completely centered around the kids in the situation, which gives these extremely strong young actors a chance to show their acting abilities which are nothing short of amazing.I would recommend this film to any thoughtful moviegoer but would make a special emphasis for the younger moviegoer to try and see this.
The acting is brutally honest, in fact, I found myself connecting with almost every character, or at least empathizing.The story follows a kid who is beaten up by a bully and his brother, along with his brother's two friends, seek revenge.
Sam (Rory Culkin) has been bullied by fat, mean and obnoxious George (Josh Peck) with the latest incident (which opens the film) seeing him bashed leading to substantial bruises.
But I knew nothing about the story and what a wonderful surprise "Mean Creek" proved to be.This is an intelligent, engaging movie buoyed by some of the best acting by young actors this year.
But I knew nothing about the story and what a wonderful surprise "Mean Creek" proved to be.This is an intelligent, engaging movie buoyed by some of the best acting by young actors this year.
Writer-director Jacob Aaron Estes, who won a 1998 Nicholl Fellowship in Screen writing for his script, takes the basic premise of revenge against a school bully and turns it into a moving and gripping film.
Writer-director Jacob Aaron Estes, who won a 1998 Nicholl Fellowship in Screen writing for his script, takes the basic premise of revenge against a school bully and turns it into a moving and gripping film.
Incidentally, this is the second terrific movie to come out of that Nicholl class - the other was Karen Moncrieff's "Blue Car," one of last year's best films.Given the subject matter, "Mean Creek" could easily have been another after-school special masquerading as an indie feature.
Incidentally, this is the second terrific movie to come out of that Nicholl class - the other was Karen Moncrieff's "Blue Car," one of last year's best films.Given the subject matter, "Mean Creek" could easily have been another after-school special masquerading as an indie feature.
Culkin again is convincing as a skittish young boy being picked on by the school bully, but the two startlingly brilliant performances are by Josh Peck as the bully George, and Carly Schroeder as Millie, the young girl unexpectedly dragged into the plot.Peck makes George captivating when he could just as easily made him a typical, one-note bully.
Culkin again is convincing as a skittish young boy being picked on by the school bully, but the two startlingly brilliant performances are by Josh Peck as the bully George, and Carly Schroeder as Millie, the young girl unexpectedly dragged into the plot.Peck makes George captivating when he could just as easily made him a typical, one-note bully.
A nasty fat kid beats up Rory McCulkin (who wouldn't), and Rory's older brother and friends decide to play a MEAN joke on him, while on a boat trip in a CREEK.
(There were a few good actors, especially the Caulkin kid.) It's funny how they even put the "bully brother" in there just like S.B.M. Oh and yea, the dead body just like S.B.M. The only major difference was that this time there was a GIRL in the group.
However, things take a turn for the worst, and it's up to the kids to either walk away or face the consequences.Mean Creek is a fantastic coming-of-age/drama movie.
For young adolescents, it's absolutely merciful on the mind and wellbeing.The film opens with a young Sam (Rory Culkin) being beaten, harassed, and viciously assaulted by George (Josh Peck), a chubby dyslexic kid with no real friends.
Despite his easy-going and often forgiving nature, Sam holds onto this beating and goes along with the plans of his older brother Rocky (Trevor Morgan) and his friends Clyde (Ryan Kelley) and Marty (Scott Mechlowicz) of getting George back by taking him out to the middle of a lake on a boat, initiating a game of truth or dare to get him to strip, and having him jump into the water and leaving him stranded.Sam takes his young girl friend Millie (Carly Schroeder) along.
Just like Larry Clark did with his exceptional film Bully, Estes devotes the last half-hour or so to how the characters deal with their actions, and avoids simplistic moralizing and easy ways out.
Peck's performance is surprisingly tender, especially during a vulgar key-scene on the boat.Through the lens of low-budget filmmaking, Estes makes a completely immersing and exciting picture that works because of its depiction of murder, its meditative atmosphere, its gaggle of great character actors, and its intimate focus on the adolescents involved in this issue (we pleasantly do not have to suffer through scenes with adult characters who "don't understand." Mean Creek is an often terrifying picture but it need be seen by everyone.Starring: Rory Culkin, Ryan Kelley, Scott Mechlowicz, Trevor Morgan, Josh Peck, Carly Schroeder.
The ending is versatile, with loose ends, and viewers can ponder on and over what has really happened and if the consequences did reflect the true nature of events.In general, Mean Creek is a decent independent drama, but it is also complex to specify its audience - it is not suitable to most families with children, but adults only may find difficult to dedicate their time for a movie where adult characters and very briefly on screen..
A subject that I think most people forget about once they've reached a certain age, "Mean Creek" is absolutely unforgettable, and leaves you with a bit of a shiver running down your spine, that you definitely need to feel for yourself.Set in Oregon, and filmed on location, "Mean Creek" begins with the video taping of an overweight young boy in middle school playing basketball during recess.
Aaron Estes debut is a beautiful and haunting tale, that despite its simplicity and some flaws, manages to both be a gripping piece of entertainment/storytelling and also a fairly complex analysis of hate, guilt, loneliness and all the many other human emotions that are especially hard to cope with when you're a teen.Estes has wisely chosen to keep the plot fairly simple, this gives him room to delve into the mindset and feelings of these very different yet also very alike kids, and he really grabs that opportunity, constantly conveying new back story and exposition, but always in an unobtrusive way and without ever loosing sight of the central conflict that drives the plot along.Along with DP Sharone Meir the director also creates an intriguing world, the strikingly photogenic setting is milked for all it's worth, and despite some minor indulgences, especially noticeable in one central scene set at a riverbank, the choice to mix hard hand-held images with poetic Mallick like images generally comes of as an inspired and strong choice that puts you right in there with the characters and their predicaments.The characters are all fleshed out (though some do of course get more time then others) and the actors all seem to relish the chance to play something much closer to real human beings then the cyphers that normally occupy youth-movies.
Even if there was no other reason to see it, it would still be worth it for the magnificent performances (luckily there's plenty of other reasons, including a great score).Structurally the film is flawed, but through no real fault of its own, it's just so that the scene everything revolves around is so powerful that only by throwing explosions or car chases in there could it ever be topped, and since Estes doesn't feel like throwing superficial drama in to make the ending more satisfying, that is not the kind of film he's making here, there's no way around the fact that the last part of the film is a little bit less gripping then the rest.A good movie, well worth seeing, and it doesn't really matter if you're young or old, it will still resonate I believe..
Beautifully filmed on location in Oregon, and played to perfection by a dynamic young cast (headed by Scott Mechlowicz - soon to be seen in PEACEFUL WARRIOR - and Rory Culkin, giving a standout performance in a central role), the movie builds tension from the outset, as an 'innocent' excursion into America's wilderness becomes increasingly soured by Peck's careless insults and clumsy attempts to ingratiate himself with his newfound 'friends'.
Never Thought it was going to be the most Impressive and delightful drama i ever seen.Firstly,i was reading the premise and it seemed like the "typical and classic" story in cinema.I never wanted to see it.But,when i bought it at DVD store a week ago,it turned to be The Greatest and The most touching-drama crime i ever seen.I felt there was an energy to made me cry,sobbed and so guilty.There was a very exciting moral-message in this story.When it went to the ending,all i did just sat in my couch,silent and felt numb.I was shocking!The Cast were so Exceptional and Natural.They were acting very impressive and unbelievable.The Script was Brilliant.The Director and the Cinematography were so Terrific and Top-Notch.Can't Wait for sort of this smart drama film next time.Bravo!!
Personally, I think the best performance is Ryan Kelley's as Clyde, because it was the most understated of the roles, and yet he created a complex character with relatively little material to work on, although all of the actors, especially Josh Peck, were exceptional.
I was very impressed with Schroeder, in fact, to be perfectly honest, I was a little worried that she wouldn't do so well, but she made a strong effort to be this character and performed nicely.This movie is about friendship,differences,decisions and is a great example of a "Coming of Age" film.
they invite him 2 Sam's "birthday party" and along with Sam and his should-be-girlfriend Milly (carly Schroeder) embark on a boating trip, but they soon find out that George has more than one nuance to him and begin to regret their hasty revenge................This film is mainly about the six kids and there is not a weak link among them in acting ability.
Because this kind of situation does happen (you might hear similar stories in the news), lots of filmmakers try to create movies like it, but hardly ever succeed at producing the 'real feel' that Mean Creek does.
It disappoints me because indie films like these don't really get the time of day unlike big-budget Hollywood films.The story first starts off with a young teenager named Sam {Rory Culkin}who gets picked on by a misunderstood bully, George {Josh Peck}.
On the other hand, if you appreciate fine acting, especially from young actors, and enjoy a movie with a morality problem embedded in a simple but solid story, then you will probably like this movie.An obnoxious school bully pummels a small kid on the playground in the opening scenes, an all-too-familiar scenario in real life.
Young Rory Culkin is also very believable as a boy bullied by his enemies and friends.The film's first fifty minutes are great because they leave us unsure about where we stand with the central character.
Rory Culkin plays Sam, a kid who often finds himself at the hands of George (Josh Peck), the schoolyard bully.
The film revolves around Sam (Rory Culkin), a middle-schooler who is beat up by an overweight bully, George (Josh Peck).