Mystic River

[DJASh]

Clint Eastwoods new directorial effort. Pretty good, and Sean Penn is excellent as ever.

ELI WALLACH makes a cameo appearence, plus theres one sequence where Penn converses with two heavies (the Savage brothers) and their mannerisms, faces and dialogue are pure spaghetti western. Right down to a good hearty spit . Look out for it !

[shorty larsen]

Congratulations for Eli, who is already 89 years old!

[DJIMBO]

Until i watched rented copy of Mystic River never realised our old friend eli wallach has a typically eccentric role as a shopkeeper interviewed by Kevin Bacon and Laurence Fishburne. Great 2 see old eli still soldiering on aged 85, especially in a clint eastwood film!!

He is uncredited tho - dont know why.

Mystic River - interesting film. Great performances, difficult subject matter, slightly botched pace but otherwise touching.

[Blueberry]

I seem to remember that it was one of this very board's "best movies of 2003". And it was. Eastwood's best since Unforgiven, no doubt.

And Eli: - yeah, it's good to see old friends again, especially when they come from so far away and have so much to talk about.

[mortimer]

Yes, great to see Eli again. Also a pleasure to see a well acted film not loaded with CGI .

[Bill Carson]

  now I DEFINITELY have to see this film

[Two Kinds of ...]

I think it was Clint's best directing job.    I got goose bumps when Eli showed up.

[David Aaronson]

Yes, great to see Eli again. Also a pleasure to see a well acted film not loaded with CGI .

Most well acted films aren't loaded with CGI...

[titoli]

This is really dejecting. I had heard (even on this board) good things about it, but it is a very good illustrations of what Hollywood may think is a "serious" movie. This is just a cheapie thriller based on characters who must pervert their appearance to make the story flow: the character played by Sean Penn is the more absurd (and he plays as usual making me wonder all the time, like Nicholas Cage does, how he ever got into movies): a family man or some kind of boss who kills people cool-bloodedly with a nice wifey who loves him all the more for this. The character played by Robbins (at least he's good at it) could be interesting but it must be subservient to the needs of the plot which is a series of coincidences that makes those noted about GBU in another thread look like an exercise in realism. The fact that somebody takes this trash seriously is what really makes me wonder...

[Tucumcari Bound]

This is really dejecting. I had heard (even on this board) good things about it, but it is a very good illustrations of what Hollywood may think is a "serious" movie. This is just a cheapie thriller based on characters who must pervert their appearance to make the story flow: the character played by Sean Penn is the more absurd (and he plays as usual making me wonder all the time, like Nicholas Cage does, how he ever got into movies): a family man or some kind of boss who kills people cool-bloodedly with a nice wifey who loves him all the more for this. The character played by Robbins (at least he's good at it) could be interesting but it must be subservient to the needs of the plot which is a series of coincidences that makes those noted about GBU in another thread look like an exercise in realism. The fact that somebody takes this trash seriously is what really makes me wonder...

I'm sorry, I don't agree with you. This is defiently an above average film. The direction by Clint Eastwood is top notch and the acting couldn't be better. I've seen all these actor's in past movies and they defiently stepped it up for this film, especially Sean Penn. You also gotta love the music score that was written by Clint Eastwood. This guy is a genius! This was defiently an unforgettable and powerful film that you should watch again.

[Jon0]

I like it a lot.

[titoli]

This is defiently an above average film.

Oh, well, on that I agree.

I've seen all these actor's in past movies and they defiently stepped it up for this film, especially Sean Penn.

It may very well be possible, especially as for Penn: it wouldn't be so difficult.

Can't remember a single note of the score.

[dave jenkins]

Can't remember a single note of the score.

An indictment if ever there was one. When someone recommends a film to me but they are unable to say anything positive about the score I know not to take their recommendation seriously.

[marmota-b]

An indictment if ever there was one. When someone recommends a film to me but they are unable to say anything positive about the score I know not to take their recommendation seriously.

Hm... that could be right. Score usually is one of the most noticable things in good fims.

[titoli]

I wouldn't say that not remembering a score or even vaguely being impressed by one is necessarily a negative factor for the final judgement on a film. But surely, when I like a music, or at least it is well-made,  I usually remember at least the refrain.  It just didn't happen this time.
I think that the main fault of the movie lies in the contrived plot, that to make ends meet forces the characters to behave irrationally or contrarily to what we are shown about them. The movie is shot professionally well (Eastwood has been at it so many years it would be nonsense if it weren't) but I couldn't name a single image or sequence that impressed me. To me this is run-of the-mill Hollywood thriller stuff. But if one thinks this is great cinema I won't discuss it.