Mystic River is a study in contrasts: the divergence of adulthood from childhood, the distrust between society’s instruments and its constituents, the clash between those who are law abiding and those willing to take it into their own hands. Over the course of two hours, director Clint Eastwood delicately establishes parallels between conflicting groups and how they conspire to cheat people of a positive outcome, or even a fair one. Fate is cruel and does not explain its reasoning but everyone must abide by its consequnces.
Jimmy, Sean and Dave are best friends until one day when they are eleven-years old and Dave is abducted by two pedophiles posing as police officers. Although he manages to escape, the trio drifts apart and their adult counterparts are not nearly as close. Jimmy is a local criminal, Sean a police office and Dave a traumatized man trying to raise his son. After Jimmy’s daughter is murdered, their lives intersect again although any meaningful connection is lost; truly, all the three youths changed for the worse on the day that Dave was kidnapped.
Faith does not guarantee anything to any of the characters, except that no action occurs in a vacuum and there are always consequences. Jimmy attends the First Communion of his youngest daughter while Sean is investigating the homicide of his oldest. As more details are revealed, the influence of Jimmy’s prior criminal acts (direct or indirect) on his current tragedy cannot be ignored.
Dave becomes a suspect in the murder because of his bizarre behaviour and injuries which would not have occurred had he not been molested as a youth. Although they may have once been close friends, Jimmy does not trust Sean to conduct the investigation, instead relying on his underworld connections, desiring a quick resolution to the case, correct or not.
Eastwood’s direction highlights these points, as many scenes and camera angles are repeated throughout the film. The eerie soundtrack echoes the church organ music which played during the First Communion. The abduction scene is referenced constantly because that may have been the butterfly flapping its wings which triggered the hurricane that has enveloped the protagonists twenty-five years later. Most of the characters gather at the conclusion of the film at a community parade and although two of the three families are somewhat reunited, they have been changed by the events that they experienced and the choices that they made.
The film is known for strong performances: Sean Penn was awarded the Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role and Tim Robbins was recognized as Best Supporting Actor. The entire cast deserves credit for brining the quirky characters from the neighbourhood, presumably Charleston, to life.
Irony may interfere frequently throughout Mystic River but justice is rarely seen. Sean joined the police force seeking something that could not be found in his old neighbourhood but upon returning as a homicide investigator, he understands how little has changed. Of the three, he has come the closest to moving forwards with his life, albeit not entirely. Despite their best efforts, the friends remain haunted by their past and the subject to the whims of fate upon their lives. ***