Mystic River - 9 stars out of 10

Mystic River - 9 stars out of 10

"Mystic River" is the film that got me interested in critically acclaimed dramas at the end of high school.  I can still vividly remember walking out of the theater saying "Wow. I need more of that."  Thus, the movie obsession was born.  The acting in this film is absolutely top notch, with big names filling all of the lead and support roles.  The script requires emotional performances by every character and this group certainly does not disappoint.  It is no surprise that Sean Penn and Tim Robbins won Oscars for Best Actor and Best Supporting, particularly with Robbins getting away from his typical roles to play this emotional detached and psychologically scarred man.  The energy created by Penn's anger gives energy to the cast and can be felt through the screen as you watch.  His final confrontation with Robbins is particularly poignant.  I typically do not like Kevin Bacon but he is magnificent as this cop torn between childhood friendship and the facts of the case.  Or maybe Laurence Fishburne is just so awesome that it rubbed off on him.  I didn't really understand Marcia ay Harden's Oscar nomination, but it could be that her character is so detached throughout the movie that I never felt an attachment to her.  I enjoyed Laura Linney much more, even if she had that monologue at the ended that lasted far too long.  Even though it's impressive, the acting would be a moot point if not for this emotionally charged script.  Emmy Rossum's character is developed just enough that the image of her mangled corpse makes us want justice.  We can relate to Penn's anger and, even though we know what the right thing is to do, we can understand why he wants to take matters into his own hands.  It's amazing that this script is so straightforward, simply telling a story as if we are one of the characters living in this Boston neighborhood.  It does have an amazing twist, but it is set up by the simplicity leading up to it.  A quick tangent: the Mystic is the Bostonian river of "Over the river and through the woods to grandmother's house we go" fame.  See?  This blog is educational!  And probably the greatest thing that you can learn from this film is that Clint Eastwood is one of the best directors out there.  His films possess a lot of grit and humanity, always able to stir up our emotions and place us into a dark section of Americana.  In most other years, "Mystic River" would have easily taken the Oscars for best picture, best director, etc., but who can battle "The Return of the King"?  Whether you are new to critically acclaimed dramas or a seasoned veteran who missed this the first time around, "Mystic River" is just one of those movies that everybody needs to see.