Oscars 2003: If We Picked the Winners (Best Picture 2003)

1. Mystic River Clint Eastwood is a wildly inconsistent director, which is especially odd given his consistent (we're talking Old Faithful here) style. The reason his films can vary so much, even when his outlook doesn't, is that some stories naturally fit his plodding, measured sense of pacing, while others (a story about a South African rugby team for instance) don't so much. Dennis Lehane's novel about three childhood friends whose lives go off in different directions, only to cross again tragically later, is a perfect fit. The result is a wonderful slow-burn, suspense drama that is one of the best in the genre. The mystery as to who murdered Jimmy Markum's (Sean Penn) daughter keeps us on edge enough to allow its the characters to act dramatically and go threw terrible events without calling too much attention to itself. In turn, this prevents the film from becoming overbearing on the characters' world, allowing us to genuinely sympathize with them in a way that would not be possible had the puppeteer allowed us to see the strings. Eastwood's use of dark colors and lenses, in partnership with the film's bleak story and slow pacing, give the film a very appropriate gothic feeling. With the (at the time) unique blue-collar Boston setting, we feel as if we have been transported to some self-contained nightmarish world, a true achievement for any director. Finally, the film has a excellent ensemble cast that has to rank as one of the best of the decade. From Sean Penn and Tom Robbins' Oscar-winning performances, to what should have been an Oscar-winning performance by Marcia Gay Harden, to the cop duo of Kevin Bacon and Laurence Fishburne, to Laura Linney's frightening performance as Sean Penn's devoted wife, there is not a weak spot in the group. Given that the Academy felt a need to give an award for the cumulative work that was the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, I am not surprised it was the winning film, but I would bet if you really grilled members of the Academy about which film they more fondly remember now, many would likely say Mystic River is the superior film. Let me know which films of 2003 were your favorite and whether you think the Academy made the right choice by rewarding The Lord of the Rings in the comments section down below.