Mystic River

Mystic River (2003)

  • 87% of critics liked it
    (194 reviews)

  • 86% of users liked it
    (171,832 ratings)

Directed by Clint Eastwood, the mysterious drama Mystic River is based on the novel by Dennis Lehane and adapted by screenwriter Brian Helgeland. Set in an Irish neighborhood in Boston, Jimmy, Sean, and Dave are three childhood friends who are reunited after a brutal murder takes place. Reformed… More

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R, 2 hr. 17 min.
Directed By
Clint Eastwood
Written By
Brian Helgeland
Genres
Mystery & Suspense, Drama
In Theaters
Oct 8, 2003 Wide
On DVD
Jun 8, 2004
WB

Critic Reviews

  • Peter Rainer, New York Magazine

    Sean Penn is so frighteningly good in this movie that he outdoes even the best of his earlier work.

  • Bill Muller, Arizona Republic

    Works as a straight-up detective story, and the acting is often breathtaking.

  • Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

    Too depressing to fill audiences with delight, but it does seem to validate questionable attitudes, especially an indifference to the suffering of innocent people and a willingness to shoot first and ask questions later.

  • Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel

    Solid, rarely showy performances, meticulously recreated detective work and moments of pure unadulterated grief accent this whodunit, a movie that will have those who haven't read the book fooled for much of its length.

  • Philip Wuntch, Dallas Morning News

    Contains so many layers that you'll want to see it more than once. It's one for the memory books.

Read all 23 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • Spencer S


    Between heartfelt drama and a mystery without the suspense of pure noir, Mystic River is a delayed reaction kind of film. You want to love it right off the bat, and are given good reason with the performances of Penn, Bacon, and Robbins. Still, this plot has none of the true tautness… More

  • Sajin P


    In one of his most over-hyped directorial efforts, Eastwood have staged an ensemble cast but only manages to extract mixed performances with varying degrees of credibility from them. Bacon gives a convincing performance unlike the rest, though he does end up delivering the most stupid… More

  • Bethany M


    Another great Clint Eastwood film. Sean Penn and Tim Robbins was nothing short of amazing and this film made you want to reach out for the characters. Incredibly sad and moving and kept you on the edge of your seat for the entire film. Most definitely a worthy winner for an Academy… More

  • Brad W


    I understood the moral of this great and moving drama

  • Jay H


    With a plot that never gets boring and a remarkably exciting climax, the film wins on entertainment value alone. Yet despite this, the story is an emotional one--the humanity and realism of the story are key to the film's success. The mystery cuts a couple corners at times,… More

Read all 20 featured audience ratings

Cast

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