*** Official MYSTIC RIVER Discussion Thread (1 Viewer)

Lew Crippen · Oct 3, 2003

You can read A.O. Scott’s review here. You do have to register for the NYT, but it is free.

But the performance may not cause everyone to rave. To quote Scott: “He has purged his work of any trace of theatricality or showmanship while retaining all the directness and force that their applications of the Method brought into American movies.”

Lee Strasburg lives.

Brent Bridgeman · Oct 3, 2003

Having read the wonderful, but heartbreaking, book by Dennis Lehane, I can see where there would be plenty of highly charged emotional moments that could lead to a great performance from Mr. Penn (as well as Tim Robbins and Kevin Bacon). I truly can't wait to see this film. I'm betting that Clint got it right.

Matt Pelham · Oct 3, 2003

Looking forward to it!

JonZ · Oct 6, 2003

Heres a glowing review......

http://movie-reviews.colossus.net/mo...tic_river.html

TerryRL · Oct 6, 2003

I'm really looking forward to "Mystic River" and I wouldn't be surprised if it gets some serious Oscar consideration. I still think that eliminating screeners is going to hurt it (as well as other smaller films) in terms of winning any major Oscars, especially with so many high profile "epics" on the horizon ("Cold Mountain", "The Last Samurai", "The Return of the King" and "Master and Commander"), but I'm really glad that the movie is garnering so many great early reviews.

Ted Todorov · Oct 6, 2003

I saw Mystic River last Friday and I have to say the acting (and not just Sean Penn's) deserves all the praise it gets. For more on Mystic River see my comment in the New York Film Festival thread.

Ted

Edwin-S · Oct 6, 2003

Regarding MYSTIC RIVER, Ebert and Roepper gave it very good reviews as well. Looks like it is getting pretty positive buzz. The movie looks like it could be a good one.

No. You are just helping to financially support the rapist. I would like to watch THE PIANIST, but I'm not going to donate one red dime to the pocket book of a prick like Roman Polanski.

Vickie_M · Oct 7, 2003

Regarding Mystic River, I'm looking forward to seeing it. Sean Penn is one of my favorite actors (and I love his and Tim Robbin's politics and don't think they're political morons at all). I'm thrilled that he has 2 great movies coming out.

I liked this whole passage in the New York Times review:

Mr. Penn, his eyes darting as if in anticipation of another blow, his shoulders tensed to return it, is almost beyond praise. Jimmy Markum is not only one of the best performances of the year, but also one of the definitive pieces of screen acting in the last half-century, the culmination of a realist tradition that began in the old Actor's Studio and begat Brando, Dean, Pacino and De Niro.

But Mr. Penn, as gifted and disciplined as any of his precursors, makes them all look like, well, actors. He has purged his work of any trace of theatricality or showmanship while retaining all the directness and force that their applications of the Method brought into American movies.

That's intense praise, though I don't get why Method acting is scorned. Whatever works, and this (assuming Penn did use Method) obviously works.

(Matt Pelham, I wish you hadn't edited your post, though I understand why you thought you should.)

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Robert Crawford · Oct 7, 2003

Members,
Let's leave politics out of this discussion! Any further political comments will be deleted from this thread.

Crawdaddy

Michael Reuben · Oct 7, 2003

Admin. note: I have created a separate thread for the ongoing discussion of Roman Polanski, who has nothing to do with Mystic River. It can be found here.

M.

JonathanG · Oct 7, 2003

Saw "Mystic River" tonight and even though Penn gave a commendable performance, I thought Robbins acting was tad better. The film though, is flawed. Intriguing story, but the film plods and becomes predictable three quarters of the way through - I got the sense that Eastwood was trying to recreate the rhythm of the novel, which ultimately works for a book but not for a film.

BrandonL · Oct 9, 2003

I saw it last night and felt it moved kind of slow. I still think that they could have cut at least 30 minutes out and nothing would have changed. I wish the ending was different. It was predictable from about halfway through. I didn't really like it at all.

Jan H · Oct 12, 2003

This movie is getting raves from critics like no film I can remember. "Eastwood's masterpiece" is floating around often. Haven't seen it yet, but better than Unforgiven is saying something. Any more thoughts?

Perry Jonkheer · Oct 13, 2003

I am curious to know what this film is about as well. I have read some really positive reviews on imdb.com but I always take those w/ a grain of salt. Anyone here seen it??

Perry Jonkheer · Oct 13, 2003

At last count, Penn has three Oscar nominations to his credit. I'd hardly call him an outsider.

What 3 movies was he nominated in and what award were they for?

Thanks.

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Michael Reuben · Oct 13, 2003

What 3 movies was he nominated in and what award were they for?

http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0000576/awards

M.

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Craig S · Oct 13, 2003

Penn was nominated as Best Actor for Dead Man Walking, Sweet & Lowdown, and I Am Sam.

IMO, he's overdue for one of those little bald gold guys. Sounds like it could be his year. But he's going to have stiff competition - Ben Kingsley, for one, is getting raves for House Of Sand And Fog.

Mystic River has an unusual (for a non-Holiday period) Wednesday opening. I may have to pop out of work a bit early and catch a matinee...

Robert Crawford · Oct 13, 2003

This thread is now designated the Official Discussion Thread for "Mystic River" please, post all comments, links to outside reviews, film and box office discussion items to this thread.

All HTF member film reviews of "Mystic River" should be posted to the Official Review Thread.

Thank you for your consideration in this matter.

Crawdaddy

Robert Crawford · Oct 15, 2003

I'm really interested in reading other members feelings about this film.

Crawdaddy

Damin J Toell · Oct 16, 2003

I'm really interested in reading other members feelings about this film.

Saw it last night and didn't find it to be anything special. Decent moments were outshined by goofy ones (Penn screaming "NO!" as the camera pulled back from overhead, Robbins' bedtime story to his son, Linney's speech to Penn near the end, Bacon suddenly talking to his wife). At least the mute kid didn't talk. There were interesting explorations of the early end of childhood and the social persecution of victims, but nothing that I hadn't seen before in numerous "Law & Order" episodes. Overall, it was a completely forgettable film.

Eli Wallach's cameo is wonderful, at least. The performances by the gentlemen who played the Savage Brothers were also, chillingly, right on the money. I found nothing special about Penn's performance. A.O. Scott's declaration that it was "one of the definitive pieces of screen acting in the last half-century" is more disturbing than confusing.

DJ

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