Mystic River (2003)
89%RT Audience Score: 89%
Awards & Nominations: Won 2 Oscars
56 wins & 144 nominations total
Anchored by the exceptional acting of its strong cast, Mystic River is a somber drama that unfolds in layers and conveys the tragedy of its story with visceral power.
Mystic River is a film that will leave you on the edge of your seat, wondering what will happen next. With powerful performances from the cast and a gripping storyline, it’s no wonder this movie has received critical acclaim. Clint Eastwood’s direction is masterful, and the slow-burning tension will keep you hooked until the very end. Just make sure you’re over 16 before watching, as the graphic story may not be suitable for younger viewers. Overall, Mystic River is a must-see for anyone who loves a good crime thriller.
Production Company(ies)
Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney Animation Studios,
Distributor
Warner Bros. Pictures
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Doyle’s Pub – 3484 Washington Street, Jamaica Plain, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for language and violence
Year of Release
2003
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:DTS Dolby Digital SDDS
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Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
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Runtime:2h 17m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Oct 15, 2003 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 8, 2004
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
Mystic River, drama, 2h 17m, R, directed by Clint Eastwood, written by Brian Helgeland and Dennis Lehane, starring Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, Kevin Bacon, Laurence Fishburne, Marcia Gay Harden, Laura Linney, produced by Clint Eastwood, Robert Lorenz, Judie Hoyt, reviewed by David Germain, Neil Norman, Nell Minow, David Ansen, Alan Morrison, Geoff Andrew, David Walsh, Micheal Compton, Debbie Lynn Elias, David Nusair, Mark Steyn, Platoon, The Godfather, L.A Confidential, Seven, Eyes Wide Shut, drama, crime thriller, ex-con, murder, homicide detective, tragedy, childhood friends, blue-collar worker, investigation, neighborhood contacts, law, violence, language, English, Warner Bros Pictures, $90.1M, box office performance
Worldwide gross: $156,595,191
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $253,820,721
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 577
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 27,679,468
US/Canada gross: $90,135,191
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $146,097,584
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 529
US/Canada opening weekend: $640,815
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $1,038,679
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,275
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $25,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $40,521,794
Production budget ranking: 951
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $21,820,986
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $191,477,941
ROI to date (est.): 307%
ROI ranking: 452
Tim Robbins – Dave Boyle
Kevin Bacon – Sean Devine
Laurence Fishburne – Whitey Powers
Marcia Gay Harden – Celeste Boyle
Laura Linney – Annabeth Markum
Director(s)
Clint Eastwood
Writer(s)
Brian Helgeland, Dennis Lehane
Producer(s)
Clint Eastwood, Robert Lorenz, Judie Hoyt
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Won 2 Oscars
56 wins & 144 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees, Oscar Winners
All Critics (207) | Top Critics (58) | Fresh (182) | Rotten (25)
Eastwood and his actors create a brooding drama whose events and interrelationships seem surreally improbable yet painfully authentic.
November 12, 2018
David Germain
Associated Press
TOP CRITIC
It is a film of magisterial, slow-burning power, one of the finest examples of recent American cinematic storytelling and certainly Eastwood’s most mature film.
January 11, 2018
Neil Norman
London Evening Standard
TOP CRITIC
Powerful performances in graphic story. Only 16+.
December 26, 2010 | Rating: 3/5
Nell Minow
Common Sense Media
TOP CRITIC
Violence and revenge have been a staple of Eastwood’s work from the beginning, but here he explores his subject from a new, more ambiguous angle, with no regard for macho titillation.
July 7, 2010
David Ansen
Newsweek
TOP CRITIC
While not quite the equal of the novel, it’s more complex, emotionally-charged and better acted than the average Hollywood thriller.
December 30, 2006 | Rating: 4/5
Alan Morrison
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
It is in many ways Eastwood’s tightest movie for some time, and certainly his darkest since Unforgiven; indeed, the ending offers as corrosive an assessment of the limits of American justice as anything in his career.
June 24, 2006
Geoff Andrew
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
Eastwood’s film is rooted in a profound misreading, or more to the point, a profound ignorance of society and human relationships. His false and shallow premises lead the filmmaker to construct an unconvincing, fantastical drama.
February 15, 2021
David Walsh
World Socialist Web Site
Mystic River features a moving screenplay, solid direction and a superb cast highlighted by Sean Penn’s Oscar-worthy performance.
November 15, 2019
Micheal Compton
Bowling Green Daily News
While Mystic River is at its basest a crime thriller, it is so much more than that.
November 13, 2019
Debbie Lynn Elias
Behind The Lens
Clint Eastwood has infused the picture with a typically deliberate and methodical feel that certainly complements Brian Helgeland’s somewhat drawn-out screenplay…
March 3, 2019 | Rating: 3/4
David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews
One of its best qualities is that it’s dark but not depressing.
February 3, 2018
Mark Steyn
The Spectator
Eastwood tells the story simply, barely moving the camera. The only special effect in this film is genius.
January 5, 2018 | Rating: A
Joel Siegel
Good Morning America…
Plot
In the summer of 1975 in a neighborhood in Boston, three kids- Dave Boyle and his two friends, Jimmy Markum and Sean Devine- are playing on the sidewalk when Dave gets abducted by two men and endures days of sexual abuse. Eventually Dave escapes, but is traumatized throughout adulthood. Jimmy is an ex-con and a father of three, whose daughter Katie is found dead, and Dave becomes the number one suspect. Sean is a homicide detective investigating Katie’s murder, and finds himself faced with past and present demons as more is uncovered about Katie’s murder. Learning Katie had a boyfriend, ballistics later connect a gun belonging to his father to the murder, setting her boyfriend as the suspect. Will Sean find out who killed Katie? Will Jimmy make it through the investigation? And will Dave ever admit what really happened when he was abducted?
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Sean Penn delivers an exceptional performance as Jimmy Markum in Mystic River.
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