Watched Mystic River this weekend. I am officially disappointed.

[MallRat]

Maybe it's because I read the book. Maybe it's because I knew what was going to happen. Or maybe I just wasn't in the mood.

For whatever reason, I was left unimpressed with "Mystic River" the film. The performances were pretty good, but strangely, I thought Clint Eastwood's direction was surprisingly poor- he just didn't let the actors breathe in a lot of critical scenes. And I felt that a lot of character development was missing as well.

The scene near the end (I won't spoil it), with Sean Penn and Kevin Bacon is so filled with emotion in the book... it sent chills down my spine when I read the chapter. I was just really let down by the portrayal in the film.

Maybe it's a testament to how good Dennis Lehane is as an author- it just didn't translate for me.

-MR

[lottie244]

1. I thought the film was 'outstanding'

The direction was great. Different perspective I guess.

[molly]

2. Hmmm - your reading imagination is always

MUCH-MUCH better. I've had similar experiences. Everyone raved about "The Shining" and I thought it stunk because I read the book long before the movie came out.

I did not read "Mystic River" and thought the movie was excellent.

[vi5]

3. I liked it, but I didn't read the book....

But then again, I thoroughly enjoy every actor associated with the movie so it's worth it for me to just watch each of them do their things.

[GumboYaYa]

4. I saw it this weekend as well.

I had not read the book so I have less perspective than you do, but I was also dissapointed.

As a positive, I think Tim Robbins did an amazing job with his part. He is simply fantastic as an actor. Penn did well in his role as well, but he got boxed in by the directing towards the end.

The movie had me until the final scenes, then it totally flopped. The scene with Bacon and Penn should have been the most moving of the film, but it was just a conventional Hollywood pasting over of what should have been intense emotional impact.

[MattNC]

5. I liked it but was disappointed as well n/t

[seaglass]

6. Agreed. I rented the movie a couple weeks ago and was

disappointed - thought it was just so-so. I loved the book.

Have you read Shutter Island?

[MallRat]

7. No, I haven't.

Mystic River is the only Lehane book I've read. I really should go buy another of his.

-MR

[bleedingheart]

8. I didn't read the book so I wasn't disappointed

it was a good film that both Mr B and I liked.

However there were some things that I think would have helped make it better but overall it was good.