Mystic River Through Decades of Film Review

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Dave, who is an introverted, haunted, loner, acts out his rage and hurt upon another man having sex with a child prostitute. Sean eventually locates Katie's murderers, who were related to and associated with her boyfriend of whom her father did not approve, but not before Jimmy accuses and kills Dave of Katie's murder because he does not believe Dave's confession of murdering the other man. By the conclusion of the film, the remaining men find some relative resolution to their personal problems, which are primarily related to their families.

The film is masterfully composed and has a very subtle power to it, which is indicative of Eastwood's directorial style. Certainly, as a film, the film is meant to be a form of entertainment, but the film is superbly realistic and emotional. The film is about the connections between violence and emotions. There are visual and thematic parallels related to justice & law; peace & chaos; love & lust; and the past & the present. This film has a very realistic tone and realistic aesthetic. This film comes close to the turn of the 21st century, where the kind of violence portrayed was becoming more normalized in the media and the culture's collective conscious -- specifically that of gun violence perpetrated by youth against other youth; sexual molestation of males; divorce and the degradation of the American family.


This is not a particularly happy or joyous film. The characters who are the most innocent are the ones who die brutally (Dave and Katie). People who like happy movies or fantastical movies should not watch Mystic River. People who appreciate character driven films based in reality that are emotional and intellectual would appreciate this film. Viewers who appreciate finely crafted films that have visual themes that underscore, reinforce, or contrast the dialogue, narrative, and characters would appreciate viewing this film.

This is a film that is realistic, artistic, compositional, and intertextual -- it is a dense and compelling piece for those who are interested in this type of emotionally stirring narrative. Most of Eastwood's films have an element of social value and Mystic River has this as well. The film is a meditation and exploration of how past traumas influence the kind of people we grow into; the film advocates for the healthy resolution of emotional baggage and….....

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https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/mystic-river-decades-98382