Luke’s Favorite Films Take Two: #77

#77: Mystic River (2003)

Director: Clint Eastwood
Starring: Sean Penn, Tim Robbins and Kevin Bacon
Academy Awards (2): Sean Penn won for Best Actor and Tim Robbins won for Best Supporting Actor. Nominated four more times. Best Picture, Clint Eastwood for Best Director, Best Writing and Marcia Gay Harden for Best Supporting Actress.
Plot: “With a childhood tragedy that overshadowed their lives, three men are reunited by circumstance when one has a family tragedy.”
Stock: Holding
Previous Ranking: #44

“Maybe some day you forget what it’s like to be human and maybe then, it’s ok.”

Throw Sean Penn, Kevin Bacon, Tim Robbins, and a murder mystery together in a Boston town and you have all the ingredients for an awesome movie. The three main characters grew up together, experienced a tragic event at a young age, and are now going through another tragic event thirty years later.

Clint Eastwood has an amazing knack for providing such incredible depth to his films. All of the main characters are not only fully developed but superbly acted. There’s a reason both Penn and Robbins won Academy Awards with Eastwood getting a director nomination.

UPDATE

After finally getting a chance to read some of Dennis Lehane’s work, it’s no surprise the plot/story is so well developed. Eastwood had plenty to work with thanks to Lehane. This won’t be the last time we see a Lehane book on this list.

Fun Fact: For the scene where Jimmy wails and thrashes in anguish at the discovery of Katie’s body, Sean Penn requested that a tank of oxygen be standing by after he finished the take.

Hint for #76: Stephen King wrote the short story that was the basis for this film.

Peace Be The Journey.