Plot: What’s it about?
The year of 2003 was a big movie year. There were two film trilogies coming to an end and one movie from both the Cannes Film Festival and the NY Film Festival had garnered a lot of attention and praise. What made it interesting is it’s big ensemble cast. What made it more interesting is it’s director, Clint Eastwood, stayed behind the camera instead of getting in front of it. What made it award worthy was a story of friendship, betrayal, revenge, and tragedy. The setting is Boston, past and present and what lies up on land can be seen as clear as the Mystic River.
Many years ago, Jimmy, Sean and Dave were three kids playing on the street and living out their childhood in Boston. All of that changed when two “cops” took one of them away in a car. Forwarding to present day, Jimmy (Sean Penn) has gone on to have a shady past and a business to run and Dave (Tim Robbins) is raising his family the best he can and comes home one night with blood on his body. It seems that Jimmy’s daughter had been the victim of a gunshot wound that left her dead. The police are investigating on this case, headed by his friend Sean (Kevin Bacon) who has gone on to become a cop but starts to realize how far Jimmy will go and how involved Dave is in the matter that would track back to the past.
If this film were put at the same time it was released in a different year, here is one film that would’ve made a killing. Also, Clint Eastwood would had another golden boy to add to the two he already has as this film is superior to his western Unforgiven both in structure, in acting and in writing. The way some of the story crosscuts to similar situations along with the info being vague until the very end where everything is as clear as day is a great buildup.
The acting by all is outstanding. As Jimmy, Sean Penn shows a grief stricken and determined father as cursed as his friend is in terms of the past and the present. As Dave, Tim Robbins gives a man doing the best he can haunted by the demons of the past and delving deeper into truth that leaves him a scarred man trying his damndest to live his life. As Sean, Kevin Bacon is solid as a cop who doesn’t know what to believe even in the midst of a seperation and has to make a choice that can break him apart at the same time.
The rest of the cast gives solid support and the screenplay by Brian Helgeland shows how good a writer he can be at adapting a solid novel into a great cinematic piece. It is a tragedy in every sense but one that is constantly entertaining from the first moment to the last frame. Mystic River flows finely down the line and reaches its pinnacle as one of the finest efforts in Clint Eastwood’s directorial career.
Video: How does it look?
Mystic River is anamorphically enhanced in the 2.35:1 aspect ratio and the results of this present day movie are great. The picture quality is flawless without a hint of grain, halos or oversaturation. There is not a speck on the transfer and the nighttime and daytime scenes have just the right balance to keep the transfer at a visual consistancy without bleeding or high or low black levels. An excellent presentation.
Audio: How does it sound?
Mystic River has a Dolby Digital Surround 5.1 track and the sounds from this are stirring. The sound effects and the score are well heard in the back channels and the dialogue is spread throughout the film. There is a great balance without one drowning out the other and they blend together from the score blaring without being overloud or the dialogue without being too garbled. With all those elements, Warner has secured a solid track all around. This disc also has a French DDS 5.1 track along with English French and Spanish subtitles.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This 3 Disc Deluxe Edition has its share of extras with the soundtrack being the third disc of this set which has an array of intriguing piano music and some unique pieces courtesy of Eastwood and Company. It still mystifies me (no pun intended) why there was no 2-disc set, but nonetheless this has it’s share on the other two.
On Disc 1, there is a commentary track (found only on this set and not the single disc) with Tim Robbins and Kevin Bacon. Although it would’ve been nice to have included Clint amongst the bunch, they give some humorous and interesting comments along with some interesting tidbits as well as appreciating most of the people involved with the film. There are comfortable gaps and some spoilers, but overall it is a good entertaining track by both.
Disc 2 has the bulk of the extras starting with two documentaries. “Beneath The Surface” and “From Page To Screen”. At first I thought that the latter would be an episode from the great Bravo show of the same name. Instead, it’s a shorter version of the first piece giving most of the same info as well as little additions that are interesting but not as fulfilling as other featurettes have getting comments via interviews by the director and the cast. I wish there was like a video diary documenting the days in Boston, but viewers can’t get everything they wish for.
Saving this second DVD from disaster are both the teaser (narrated by Clint) and theatrical trailers which are interesting to see after viewing the film.
Also being a refreshing sight on this disc are three interviews from one of my favorite shows, Charlie Rose. The episodes cover ground with Clint Eastwood, Kevin Bacon and Tim Robbins and even though some comments get repeated, they’re never dull when they’re part of the interview with Charlie as he asks very insightful questions and get some interesting answers out of the stars and it’s director. These have been available on other DVDs (One Hour Photo, Unfaithful, Nixon) and they are all gems. Now if only the New Line people clued into this and can include the Peter Jackson interviews from the same show on the Extended Edition of the Return of the King, then it can be truly a complete series. On this set however, it’s welcomed and it is great.
Mystic River continues to be a shining gem in the crown of 2003 and the 3-Disc Deluxe Edition is very good for the most part, but despite the documentaries being standard and the inclusion of the soundtrack, it would’ve been nice if the budgetly inclined could’ve gotten a 2 disc edition or fit some of those extras on the single disc which unfortunately is extraless. On this case, Mystic River is a great movie with a good set.
