Poll Position: Mystic River (2003)

Ooh, looks like I get to be the one to use the weird version of the movie poster this time! While the poster isn't really recognizable, it's still for Mystic River as that's what I watched today. Our lovely Kevin Bacon poll tied, so I'm catching up by also watching this film, which Puneet watched yesterday. Kevin Bacon actually takes a leading roll this time around, unlike in Frost/Nixon so it seemed to fit a little bit better considering that was the point after all. I remember this movie making a big splash (pardon the pun) when it came out, but I was younger and didn't care about dramas back then. I was curious to see this, but still had my reservations that it might be boring. My thoughts after the jump.


Jimmy (Sean Penn), Dave (Tim Robbins) and Sean (Kevin Bacon) were all friends as kids until a fateful day when Dave was abducted and held hostage for 4 days, being abused the whole time. He finally escaped, but it traumatized him for the rest of his life. Now grown up, they haven't seen each other in years and all lead quite different lives. Sean is probably the most successful since he's now a state police officer, but all of them have their demons. The most recent thing to go horribly wrong is when Sean discovers that the latest murder in the area turns out to be Jimmy's 19-year-old daughter. Jimmy has a bit of a shady past, so when he finds out, he starts trying to find her murderer at the same time as Sean. Now we have 2 questions; who is the murderer, and who will find the killer first?

Jimmy is enraged when he finds out his daughter has been killed

The great thing about this movie is the strong story, and great dialog, all backed up by great acting. OK, so that was three things, but it's true. All the characters are fleshed out and have personalities and lives and it's all balanced perfectly. I never felt like I was being rushed through the story or that I didn't understand a character's actions. You learned things as both Jimmy and Sean learned things, and you even know a little bit more to help you try and come to your own conclusions on the murder. At the same time, the story deals with Jimmy's grief over losing his eldest daughter very well. Sean Penn is amazing in this movie and really stole the show for me. I don't think I've seen anyone more angry than he was in that scene pictured above.

Sean and his partner "Whitey Powers"

The cast was great, but it was also pretty big. I also noticed something a little horrifying though. Kevin Bacon was in Friday the 13th. Laurence Fishburne, who plays Sean's partner, was in Event Horizon. Tim Robbins was in Jacob's Ladder. Marcia Gay Harden, who was Dave's wife, was also in The Mist as the crazy lady. Laura Linney, portraying the role of Jimmy's wife, I recognized as being in The Mothman Prophecies. And then we have Sean Penn, who was in Tree of Life. OK, so maybe that last one isn't a horror, but I'm positive it must have screwed with the minds of at least a few people who saw it. Alright, but enough kidding around. All of these actors did a great job. Even the side characters were good. My only question is that Laurence Fishburne's character can't really be named Whitey Powers, right? It looked to be to be a joke name Sean makes up at one point because he pulls a face right after saying it and Fishburne looks at him and kinda shakes his head. But that's the only name we ever hear for him, and that's what he's listed as in the credits! Weirdness, I say.

Dave is a pretty messed up individual with plenty of problems

Now, being that this is a mystery, the mystery needs to be pretty good so that the clues are there for the real answer, but it can't be too obvious or else you'll have seen it coming a mile away. I was quite happy that I didn't figure out the ending until fairly late in the movie. It was only once a specific clue was revealed that I had that sudden epiphany right along side the detectives in the film. It was timed perfectly for me! But even then there's yet still more drama that I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see how it was going to all play out. I wish I could just blab the ending here so I could then say "See?! Wasn't that CRAZY when that happened?!" but sadly I can't.

This was a really good movie for completely different reasons that made Frost/Nixon good, and yet both had me excited and glued to the screen towards the end. I have absolutely no complaints to make about this film. That's not to say I think it was the best film I've ever seen. Maybe if it was set in the Mass Effect video game universe expertly put to live action film, then maybe it would be. Nevertheless, it was a very good film and now I realize what all the hype surrounding this movie was all about after it came out in 2003. Check it out if you haven't seen it, it's damn good!