Claim: Brian Helgeland did writing on a film by Clint Eastwood.

Mystic River is a 2003 American mystery drama film directed and scored by Clint Eastwood . It stars Sean Penn , Tim Robbins , Kevin Bacon , Laurence Fishburne , Marcia Gay Harden , and Laura Linney . The screenplay by Brian Helgeland was based on the novel of the same name by Dennis Lehane . The film was produced by Robert Lorenz , Judie G. Hoyt and Eastwood . It is the first film on which Eastwood was credited as composer of the score .   The film opened to widespread critical acclaim . It was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Picture , Best Director , Best Actor , Best Adapted Screenplay , Best Supporting Actress , and Best Supporting Actor . Sean Penn won Best Actor and Tim Robbins won Best Supporting Actor , making Mystic River the first film to win both awards since Ben-Hur in 1959 .