Rent Mystic River (2003)

Sound and Fury in Southie - Mystic River review by griggs

Growing up in a tight Boston neighbourhood is meant to make you feel looked after; here it mostly leaves everyone tense and knotted up. Three childhood mates are thrown back together when one man’s daughter is killed, and suddenly all the old scars are back on display. On paper, it’s a cracking set-up: grief, guilt and Catholic baggage all crammed into a few streets.

On screen, it turns into an acting showdown. Penn is going full volume, Robbins retreats into his shell, and Bacon just sort of keeps things ticking along, while Fishburne feels like the only one who’s actually met a real human being. You can see why the Oscars bit, even if it all feels a bit much.

The mystery does the job but never really hooks you, and the final reveal feels more arranged than inevitable. The women barely get a look in, and by the end I respected the effort more than I felt the heartbreak.

Very dark. - Mystic River review by JD

After the abduction it keeps getting grimmer. A man with a huge problem in his psychological past has a wife who becomes so suspicious of him that she sets him up to get abducted again by some Mafia style thugs. The film explores some seedy and unpleasant sides of Boston life. Larger than life detectives carry the plot. I hope you can tell, I found it morbidly gripping but ultimately it left a dirty feeling.

didn't like this one - Mystic River review by CP Customer

very slow

Pretty Good - Mystic River review by CP Customer

I found the story a little bit slow but the brilliant cast makes up for it. Well worth a look.

MYSTIC RIVER - Mystic River review by CP Customer

EXCELLENT FILM

The river is riveting - Mystic River review by CP Customer

What an excellent movie. I worried that something would be lost on the small screen but the pace, cast, screenplay, plot and camera shots were completely enthralling for over 2 hours - a masterpiece.