Mystic River

Name: Mystic River
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller, Crime
Released: October 8, 2003
Duration: 138 min
Rating: 84
Cast: Emmy Rossum, Kevin Bacon, Laura Linney, Laurence Fishburne, Sean Penn

2003

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 42 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 451 Ratings

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7.2

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7.2	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 451 Ratings

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Mystic River

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Movie Details & Credits

Warner Bros. Pictures | Release Date: October 8, 2003 | R

Starring: Emmy Rossum, Kevin Bacon, Laura Linney, Laurence Fishburne, Sean Penn, Tim Robbins

Summary: As the investigation of the death of a young woman tightens around three old friends, and ominous story unfolds that revolves around friendship, family and innocence lost too soon. (Warner Bros.)

Director: Clint Eastwood

Genre(s): Drama, Mystery, Thriller, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 138 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Lisa Schwarzbaum

Eastwood directs Mystic River with an invigorated grace and gravitas. This is a true American beauty of a movie, a tale of men and their bonds told by and for adults who value the old-fashioned Hollywood-studio notion of narrative. Read full review

100

David Sterritt

This kind of quiet ambiguity, avoiding easy answers to complex human conflicts, is all too rare in American movies. Read full review

100

Roger Ebert

To see strong acting like this is exhilarating. In a time of flashy directors who slice and dice their films in a dizzy editing rhythm, it is important to remember that films can look and listen and attentively sympathize with their characters. Directors grow great by subtracting, not adding, and Eastwood does nothing for show, everything for effect. Read full review

Carrie Rickey

So incrementally does Eastwood's film build toward what seems like an inevitable resolution that when it concludes, you're sucker-punched. You haven't been watching a police procedural, but a Greek tragedy. You haven't been watching a drama about the catharsis of vigilantism, but sitting vigil for a community diminished, and permanently damaged, by violence. Read full review

David Edelstein

For all its missteps, Mystic River gets the big things right: It turns you inside out with grief, and it builds to an act of vigilante murder that is nearly impossible to endure. Read full review

Lawrence Toppman

The grandest presence here is Eastwood. His directing, like his acting, is minimal: unhurried, spare, unforced, rather somber. Read full review

Phil Hall

The new bad movie from Clint Eastwood which takes Dennis Lehane's best-selling thriller and turns it into an inert mess that clocks in at 137 minutes but feels like 137 hours. Read full review

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User Reviews

JackT

Jan 16, 2007

I found this film to be one of the most spiritually profound works to come out of the Hollywood studio system in quite some time. Eastwood sorts through the rubble of his characters' lives with an assurance and patience that's reminiscent of his better works. The film has its I found this film to be one of the most spiritually profound works to come out of the Hollywood studio system in quite some time. Eastwood sorts through the rubble of his characters' lives with an assurance and patience that's reminiscent of his better works. The film has its ciphers (namely Laura Linney's Lady Macbeth) and its fair share of summarizing speeches… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

anothercoolguy

Oct 1, 2012

Sean Penn, Tim Robbins and Kevin Bacon, great actors .

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

spadenx

Dec 15, 2011

People are idiots, SImple as that. Mystic River is a great film - Great acting by the cast, Interesting story, and a very satisfying ending. Sean Penn and Tim Robbins are untouchable in this.

8 of 12 users found this helpful84

BenA.

Dec 1, 2003

Mystic River never let me down. I heard great things, and they were all true. I was not disappointed by any aspect of the story. I'm glad they spent the extra money to shoot it in Boston instead of Toronto. I really liked the neighborhood they shot it in, it gave it such a human feel to it.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

Indianbuff

Oct 29, 2010

Clint Eastwood promises a lot but does not deliver what he would have wanted to.Sean Penn & Tim Robbins steal the show by portraying their well written roles like only they can .Though the film does haunt you ,it leaves a lot of loose ends.That said, one cannot take any credit away fromClint Eastwood promises a lot but does not deliver what he would have wanted to.Sean Penn & Tim Robbins steal the show by portraying their well written roles like only they can .Though the film does haunt you ,it leaves a lot of loose ends.That said, one cannot take any credit away from Eastwood who manages to deliver yet another rewarding experience though this is obviously not even anywhere near his best.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

HurQlez

Jul 26, 2019

Seems more like Oscar bait than a good movie. And apparently it worked getting Tim Robbins the Oscar.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

DaveW.

Mar 21, 2005

How can you make a movie like this and sleep at night. Clint Eastwood should be ashamed. Making a movie like this should bring him down. Clint Eastwood knows better then to show a movie that crap. I give this movie a 0.

0 of 3 users found this helpful

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17	#17 Best Movie of 2003
18	#18 Most Discussed Movie of 2003
21	#21 Most Shared Movie of 2003