Mean Creek

R

Released Jan 15, 2004

1h 29m

Drama

List

89%

124 Reviews

Tomatometer

82%

25,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Quiet adolescent Sam (Rory Culkin) has been bullied by George (Josh Peck), a fellow student who has trouble fitting in with other teens. When Rocky (Trevor Morgan), Sam's elder brother, finds out Sam is being picked on, he enlists his buddies to help get back at George. They ask George to accompany them on a boating expedition deep in the woods, but when their plan to humiliate George horrifically backfires, the friends make a series of poor decisions that will change their lives.

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Critics Consensus

Mean Creek is an uncomfortably riveting glimpse into the casual cruelty of youth.

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John S

Well done morality play involving teenagers. Sound familiar?

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/05/24

Full Review

Jerod S

The creek is peaceful, the kids are the mean ones. When little Culkin gets bullied by the kid with dyslexia, his little gang of friends plan to ridicule him on the creek. But it gets much worse.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

12/13/23

Full Review

Rami A

A teen film that is only intended for adults and does a superb job of fusing comedy with drama.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

10/16/23

Full Review

Jon B

It was a good movie. A little bit of a slow start but worth the wait.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/16/23

Full Review

patrick m

One of the best movies I've ever seen loved it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

colin m

Good film but the ending left me feeling shortchanged.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

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Jacob Aaron Estes

Director

Rory Culkin

Sam Merrick

Ryan Kelley

Clyde

Scott Mechlowicz

Marty Blank

Trevor Morgan

Rocky Merrick

Josh Peck

George Tooney

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

This movie about teens is for adults only.

Rated: 3/5

Dec 26, 2010

Full Review

Peter Travers

Rolling Stone

Rated: 2/4

Aug 14, 2007

Full Review

Empire Magazine

Rated: 4/5

Apr 1, 2006

Full Review

Steve Erickson

Nashville Scene

For all its contrivances and hesitations, Mean Creek showcases a real, promising talent-even if he might be better off writing about characters his own age.

Jan 29, 2019

Full Review

Sean Nelson

The Stranger (Seattle, WA)

Mean Creek is a strong premise gone horribly awry.

Aug 23, 2017

Full Review

Felix Vasquez Jr.

Cinema Crazed

A very effective tale of morals, conscience, and peer pressure.

Apr 29, 2009

Full Review

Read all reviews

Synopsis

Quiet adolescent Sam (Rory Culkin) has been bullied by George (Josh Peck), a fellow student who has trouble fitting in with other teens. When Rocky (Trevor Morgan), Sam's elder brother, finds out Sam is being picked on, he enlists his buddies to help get back at George. They ask George to accompany them on a boating expedition deep in the woods, but when their plan to humiliate George horrifically backfires, the friends make a series of poor decisions that will change their lives.

Director: Jacob Aaron Estes
Producer: Deborah Del Prete
Screenwriter: Jacob Aaron Estes
Distributor: Paramount Pictures, Focus Features
Production Co: Whitewater Films
Rating: R (Sexual References|Language|Teen Alcohol and Drug Use)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 15, 2004, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 15, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA): $603.9K
Runtime: 1h 29m

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