[Online] Review: Eastwood's 'Mystic River' disappointing, doesn't measure up to director's stature as an actor

One of the great things about Clint Eastwood is his uncanny
ability to infuse stoicism and apathy into the protagonists of his
films, whether he’s in front of the camera or behind it. This
strength, however, becomes problematic when used liberally without
any control or restraint as seen in “Mystic River.”

With a high-profile cast including Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, Kevin
Bacon, and Marcia Gay Harden, a script by Brian Helgeland
(“L.A. Confidential”), and a director of
Eastwood’s stature, it’s hard to imagine anything could
possibly go wrong with this film.

Despite a valiant effort, “Mystic
River”Â exemplifies the fact that a director can
truly make or break a film.

For almost fifty years, Eastwood has earned his reputation
throughout Hollywood as the brutish actor embodying everything cool
about the Old West.  Even with classic police dramas such as
“Dirty Harry” and “In the Line of Fire”,
the “Go ahead, make my day” Eastwood with whom the pop
culture masses are acquainted, always seemed to manifest
himself in some mysterious way, often to a degree of
success.

In “Mystic River,” this mysterious manifestation
fails to recreate the same success as in the past. The apathy of
Eastwood’s character in “Unforgiven” has infected
the three main characters of “Mystic River,” fashioning
overbearing, and at times, annoying individuals.

The characters hides their emotions beneath the trademark
Eastwood stoicism, creating an unrealistic tone despite the
film’s intentions of evoking realism.

Based on the bestselling novel by Dennis Lehane, “Mystic
River” tells the story of three childhood friends, Jimmy
Markum (a remarkable Penn), Dave Boyle (a miscast Robbins) and Sean
Devine (a reliable Bacon), who are reunited 25 years later after
Markum’s 19-year-old daughter is murdered. As the detective
leading the investigation, Devine struggles to solve the crime
while pacifying a vengeful Markum and delineating allegations
against his other friend, Boyle.

While Helgeland’s script comfortably unravels the crime
with ease and grace, it has difficulty conveying the dramatic
elements necessary for this film to work. Helgeland is unable to
properly represent the realism of a father losing his child or the
sensations surrounding a wife’s doubting of her husband. This
is where a director more aptly attuned to emotions than Eastwood
would benefit the film tremendously.

Although the film disappoints on many levels, the actors
involved attempt to salvage whatever they can with the little
material they are given, providing welcome relief to this tired
mess. Bacon is at ease in the detective role of Devine while Marcia
Gay Harden superbly brings to life the confused, doubting Celeste
Boyle.

But perhaps the greatest performance comes from Penn.

The actor has demonstrated his superb acting abilities in
“Dead Man Walking” and “Sweet and Lowdown," but
with the character of Markum, Penn etches his mark among
Hollywood’s greatest treasures.  This great performance
only compels one to wonder why Eastwood was unable to fashion a
more provoking film.

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