Mystic River (2003/Warner Blu-ray)
Picture:
B- Sound: B- Extras: C- Film: C-
I am a
fan of Clint Eastwood the director, but one of my least favorite works of his
helming films (whether he appears or not) is his most overrated: Mystic River.
The 2003 hit is one with critical
acclaim and based on a book by Dennis Lehane (whose Gone Baby Gone also made for a poor film, but Martin Scorsese has
made his Shutter Island into a film,
so maybe that will work better) and the film has an intriguing set-up.
Kevin
Bacon, Sean Penn and Tim Robbins play old neighborhood friends (named Sean,
Jimmy & Dave) going back to their childhood days in Boston.
Each has a unique history, with Penn involved in criminal activities,
Bacon a cop and Robbins a victim of childhood abuse that has held is whole life
back. At least he has a good wife
(Marcia Gay Harden), but that does not help when Jimmy’s daughter is killed and
it becomes a devastating event. However,
while Dave is a suspect, something much darker and more bizarre is going on
here.
However,
the screenplay by Brian Helgeland (Assassins
(1995), Conspiracy Theory, The Postman, The Order, A Knight’s Tale,
remakes of Man On Fire and Taking Of Pelham 1 2 3) is a disaster
and more of a wreck than many seem to have noticed. In some ways, there is some “big statement”
being made that throws out the mystery element ala Robert Altman’s awful Gosford Park that is supposed to make
this a film “above genre” in the most immature way, it is a failure. Like Helgeland’s script for L.A. Confidential, it is recycled ideas
from the genre done better before (Polanski’s Chinatown in that case, Levinson’s Sleepers among others in this one) so there are endless holes and
connect problems the film never resolves as the film gets away from Eastwood.
One thing
the film does have going for it are its actors, all of whom give good
performances. They also include Laurence
Fishburne, Laura Linney, Emmy Rossum, Spencer Treat Clark and an uncredited Eli
Wallach among others, but when you remove all that and really try to connect
the narrative, it breaks down in bizarre ways.
To say anything else would result in spoilers, but watch it again with
this in mind and see for yourself if you have the patience.
The 1080p
2.35 X 1 digital High Definition image was shot in real anamorphic 35mm
Panavision by longtime Eastwood Director of Photography Tom Stern and has some
slight color gutting throughout that works against the story. In addition, the transfer here is softer than
expected with some motion blur throughout and detail issues that hold it back
versus how good the 35mm prints looked. The
DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 5.1 lossless mix is on the quiet side being
dialogue-based, with music and some sound effects occasionally engaging the
surrounds, but it is underwhelming overall.
Extras include
a Robbins/Bacon audio commentary, Mystic River – Beneath The Surface
has Lahane touring the Boston
locales his novel takes place in (bet that reads better than the film), Mystic
River – From Page To Screen featurette, trailers and Charlie Rose Show
installment promoting the film with Eastwood, Robbins and Bacon.
- Nicholas Sheffo
