2. Mystic River
Adapted from the Dennis Lehane Novel of the same name, Mystic River follows three childhood friends, all affected (one directly, the other two as onlookers) by a childhood trauma. With the three as adults one of them (Sean Penn) is father to a murdered daughter, one (Kevin Bacon) is the detective investigating the case and the third (Tim Robbins) is, eventually, a major suspect. The director is a kind of big name too I think; the name slips my mind, though. Oh, wait thats it. Its Clint Eastwood. A movie directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Kevin Bacon, Tim Robbins and Sean Penn its never going to live up to the expectations is it? Well, it does and then some. The acting is terrific (it won both best actor and best supporting actor at the Academy Awards), the writing is very clever and it builds to one of the most heart-wrenching climaxes I have ever seen.
The Problem? Everything following the climax. There is a scene with Laura Linney and Sean Penn that is just plain cringe worthy. Its not cringe worthy in a My god this lady is horrible, kind of way but in a My god this writing is horrible, kind of way. I mean seriously. Nothing leads to it and it leads to nothing its completely pointless and out of tone with everything else that happens. Another major issue was Kevin Bacons detective, after finding out that a thug murdered not only an innocent man but one of his childhood friends well what would you expect him to do? Jokingly point his fingers at him like a gun and smile but do nothing else? Oh, that is what you were expecting? Youll love the ending then.